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CompletedNCT01703273STEREOUpdated Jun 13, 2018

Low-level Intervention for Adolescents With Extreme Obesity

An interventional study of manual based low key group intervention (innovation) and standardized, manual based routine care in Obesity and Extreme Obesity, sponsored by Prof. Dr. Martin Wabitsch. Completed at 6 sites in Germany. Open to participants aged 14 Years to 24 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2018-06-13.

Sponsored by Prof. Dr. Martin Wabitsch · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
119
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
14 Years to 24 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

While adolescents with obesity and extreme obesity are at increased risk for health complications, especially adolescents with extreme obesity rarely seek medical care, and sustained weigh loss is hardly ever achieved. One of the underlying reasons might be the lack of adequate treatment options.

In this multicenter study, we aim to test a new, low key group intervention focusing on improving compliance and psychosocial functioning. The study is a subproject of the Medical and psychosocial implications of adolescent extreme obesity - acceptance and effects of structured care, short: "Youth with Extreme obesity Study (YES)", which aims at improving the medical care and social support structures for youth with obesity and extreme obesity in Germany.

Obese youth and young adults (BMI ≥ 30kg/m2) between the ages of 14 and 24.9 years (initially up to 21 years) are eligible to participate. Participants will be asked to complete a series of questionnaires on their general health, psychosocial situation and wellbeing, and will be offered a thorough medical evaluation. Individuals who complete the baseline evaluations will be invited to participate in 6 group sessions over a 3 months period. Group assignment to the psycho-social intervention vs. routine care group will be at random, like throwing a dice. After 6 months, participants will complete further questionnaires to evaluate the effects of the interventions on quality of life and psycho-social functionning.

The study will show the acceptance and effectiveness of a new intervention focusing on improving compliance and psychosocial functioning in adolescents with extreme obesity, and thereby inform the development of new treatment and support options for these adolescents. If interested, participants are invited to participate in additional components of YES, and to receive medical care and psycho-social support.

Read the detailed description

While obese youth are at high risk for co-morbidities, especially the extremely obese individuals rarely seek medical care. The underlying reasons are poorly understood, but patient inherent factors and the lack of adequate treatment options may play a role.

In this multicenter study, we aim to assess the acceptance and effectiveness of a manual based low key group intervention focusing on improving compliance and psychosocial functioning in adolescents with morbid obesity (BMI≥35kg/m2), in comparison to routine care. Youth with more moderate degrees of obesity (BMI 30-34.9kg/m2) will serve as an additional control group. The study is part of the Medical and psychosocial implications of adolescent extreme obesity - acceptance and effects of structured care", short: "Youth with extreme obesity Study (YES), which also comprises the recruitment and characterization of obese (BMI 30-34.9kg/m2) and extremely obese (BMI ≥ 35kg/m2) youth from different healthcare- and non healthcare settings, a structured prospective evaluation of adolescent bariatric surgery, economic assessments of the financial burden of extreme adolescent obesity on the healthcare system, and a long-term prospective observation study.

Based on the current state of knowledge, we will test the a priori ordered hirarchy of hypotheses:

  1. The compliance rate 6 months after randomization is higher in subjects in the low key intervention group compared to the standard care group.
  2. Covariant-adjusted changes in quality of life (assessed by DISABKIDS scale) between baseline and the 6 months follow up will be more pronounced in the low key intervention group compared to the standard care group.

The five participating university centers are distributed across 4 geographic regions in the North (Berlin), in the West (Essen/Datteln), in the East (Leipzig) and in the South (Ulm) of Germany, and will therefore render data that are representative of Germany as a whole. We will screen a 600 adolescents age 14 to 24.9 years (initially up to 21 years; this was changed in an amendment in February 2013) with extreme obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) and 600 adolescents with obesity (BMI 30-34.9 kg/m2) over a 24 months period. A total of 350 subjects will be enrolled. Baseline assessments include an array of standardized questionnaires and validated instruments to assess health, psycho-social situation, psychiatric co-morbidities and health related quality of life, as well as an in-depth medical evaluation. Individuals who complete the baseline evaluations will be invited to participate in 6 group sessions over a 3 months period. Group assignment to the low key intervention vs. standard care group will be at random. The effects of the interventions on health related quality of life and psycho-social functioning will be assessed via questionnaires after 6 months. Subsequently, subjects will be invited to participate in additional components of YES.

The project will reveal the effectiveness and safety of a manual based low key group intervention focusing on improving compliance and psychosocial functioning in adolescents with morbid obesity, and thereby inform the development of new treatment and support options for these adolescents in Germany.

02

Conditions studied

  • Obesity
  • Extreme Obesity

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Keywords

  • Extreme Obesity Keywords: obesity, adiposity, psychosocial, healthcare, co-morbidities, low key intervention, quality of life
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In context

Obesity

6,296 studies on the registry are indexed under Obesity; 1,692 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 119 is above the median of 78 across 4,878 interventional studies indexed under Obesity.

Browse Obesity studies →

Lead sponsor

Prof. Dr. Martin Wabitsch is the lead sponsor of 5 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
14 Years to 24 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • BMI ≥30kg/m2
  • sufficient German language skills

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Circumstances that require immediate inpatient care (e.g. severe somatic or psychiatric illness)
  • obvious cognitive disability
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
119 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    low key intervention

    Behavioral: manual based low key group intervention (innovation)

  • Active comparator
    routine care

    Behavioral: standardized, manual based routine care

Interventions

  • Behavioralmanual based low key group intervention (innovation)

    6 sessions offered over the course of 3-6 months focus on improvement of quality of life and psychosocial functioning . Topics covered are: 1) social competencies, 2) body image, 3) coping with mobbing and anger, 4) coping with stress, 5) life satisfaction, and 6) psychological well being. The planned intervention does not primarily focus on weight loss.

  • Behavioralstandardized, manual based routine care

    6 sessions offered over the course of 3-6 months with a focus on weight loss. The topics 1) causes, consequences and treatment options of obesity, 2) nutrition, 3) eating behaviors and problem solving strategies, 4) self esteem and emotional eating, 5) exercise, and 6) use of media, will be covered.

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Composite primary endpoint (tested hierarchically) of a) compliance rate and b) changes in health related quality of life.

    a) Number of regular participants at 6 months follow up will be divided by number of participants at baseline. b) Changes (randomization - 6 months follow up) in the 37 item DISABKIDS questionnaire will be assessed.

    Time frame: baseline and 6 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Changes in the 6 subscales of DISABKIDS

    The 37 item DISABKIDS questionnaire will be applied twice, and the score difference in each of the 6 subscales will be calculated for each subject.

    Time frame: baseline and 6 months

  2. Changes in quality of life

    The 52 item KIDSCREEN-52 questionnaire will be applied twice, and the score difference will be calculated for each subject.

    Time frame: baseline and 6 months

  3. Changes in self-esteem

    The Rosenberg's scale patient questionnaire will be applied twice, and the score difference will be calculated for each subject.

    Time frame: baseline and 6 months

  4. Changes in self reported time spent outside the home

    The time spent outside the home will be elicited twice via standardized patient questionnaire (modified after KIGGS and TeenLABS), and the time difference will be calculated for each subject.

    Time frame: baseline and 6 months

  5. Changes in depression symptoms

    The Becks Depression Inventory 2 questionnaire will be applied twice, and the score difference will be calculated for each subject. Answers will be reviewed immediately to identify and treat subjects at risk for self harm.

    Time frame: baseline and 6 months

  6. Changes in perceived stress

    The Fliege scale questionnaire will be applied twice, and the score difference will be calculated for each subject.

    Time frame: baseline and 6 months

  7. Changes in the self reported attendance of school, apprenticeship, or work

    The attendance of school, apprenticeship, or work will be elicited twice via standardized patient questionnaire (modified after KIGGS and TeenLABS), and the time difference will be calculated for each subject.

    Time frame: baseline and 6 months

  8. Changes in self reported physician- / and therapist contacts

    Physician- / and therapist contacts will be elicited twice via standardized patient questionnaire (modified after KIGGS and TeenLABS), and the difference will be calculated for each subject.

    Time frame: baseline and 6 months

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Study locations

6 sites
  • Ambulatory Obesity Program, Charité University, Berlin
    Berlin, 13353, Germany
  • Vestische Kinderklinik, University of Witten/Herdecke
    Datteln, Germany
  • Center for Clinical Trials Essen
    Essen, 45122, Germany
  • University Duisburg-Essen
    Essen, 45147, Germany
  • University Hospital Leipzig
    Leipzig, 04103, Germany
  • Dept for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, University of Ulm: Interdisciplinary obesity clinic
    Ulm, 89075, Germany
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References and documents

Publications

  • Muhlig Y, Scherag A, Bickenbach A, Giesen U, Holl R, Holle R, Kiess W, Lennerz B, Lutke Brintrup D, Moss A, Neef M, Ose C, Reinehr T, Teuner CM, Wiegand S, Wolters B, Wabitsch M, Hebebrand J. A Structured, Manual-Based Low-Level Intervention vs. Treatment as Usual Evaluated in a Randomized Controlled Trial for Adolescents with Extreme Obesity - the STEREO Trial. Obes Facts. 2017;10(4):341-352. doi: 10.1159/000475717. Epub 2017 Aug 9. PubMed 28787738 ↗
  • Wabitsch M, Moss A, Reinehr T, Wiegand S, Kiess W, Scherag A, Holl R, Holle R, Hebebrand J. Medical and psychosocial implications of adolescent extreme obesity - acceptance and effects of structured care, short: Youth with Extreme Obesity Study (YES). BMC Public Health. 2013 Aug 29;13:789. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-789. PubMed 23987123 ↗

Related links

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 13, 2018, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01703273
Lead sponsor
Prof. Dr. Martin Wabitsch
Collaborators
University of Witten/Herdecke, Charite University, Berlin, Germany, University of Leipzig, Universität Duisburg-Essen, University of Ulm, Zentrum für klinische Studien Essen
Responsible party
Prof. Dr. Martin Wabitsch (Prof. Dr. med, University of Ulm) — Sponsor-investigator
First posted
Oct 10, 2012
Start date
Jul 2012
Primary completion
Dec 2014
Completion
Dec 2014
Last update
Jun 13, 2018

Study contacts

Martin Wabitsch, Prof. Dr. med.
principal investigator · University of Ulm
Susanna Wiegand, Dr. med.
principal investigator · Charite University, Berlin, Germany
Thomas Reinehr, Prof. Dr. med.
principal investigator · University of Witten/Herdecke
Johannes Hebebrand, Prof. Dr. med.
study chair · Universität Duisburg-Essen
Wieland Kiess, Prof. Dr. med.
principal investigator · University of Leipzig

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Jun 2018. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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