Costing a pilot complex community-based childhood obesity intervention

Background: Childhood obesity has significant impact on future health and economic consequences. Evidence of effectiveness of interventions is developing, although little is known about costs. Therefore, the direct costs to health care and other public sector agencies of a pilot community-based childhood obesity treatment programme were estimated. Methods: The present study comprised a retrospective review of resource useof an intervention drawing resources from local government and primary care sectors and delivered across multiple settings. Ninety-six children, aged 816years old; body mass index (BMI) >98th centile; mean BMI SD 3.1 and low quality of life scores attended a 12-month programme delivered by nonhealth professionals. Direct costs to health care and other public sector agencies were assessed. Results: Total programme direct costs were 82380 pound (Euro94736, $123569) in the base case or 120474 pound (Euro138546, $180713) when venues were treated as real additional costs, and varied only slightly with the number of participants in the programme. Costs per participant were 858 pound (Euro987, $1287) in the base case or 1255 pound (Euro1443, $1883) when venues were treated as additional costs. Costs per participant were sensitive to the number of participants, varying between 691 pound (Euro795, $1037) and 2026 pound (Euro2330, $3039) when venue costs were zero and between 1009 pound (Euro1160, $1514) and 2978 pound (Euro3425, $4467) with venue costs added. Conclusions: It is possible to provide a community-based service at reasonable cost, and probably less than for health professional delivered services. Further work is required to assess the possible effects of the programme on wider service resource use, on users' costs and on programme effectiveness.