One Size Does Not Fit All: Sociodemographic Factors Affecting Weight Loss in Adolescents

Successful lifestyle changes for weight reduction are heavily dependent on recognizing the importance of societal and cultural factors. Patients 13-19 years of age with a BMI >= 95(th) percentile are eligible for our multidisciplinary adolescent weight loss clinic. A behavioral questionnaire was administered at the initial visit. Patients were seen every 4-6 weeks. Bivariate analysis was used to identify sociodemographic factors associated with differences in weight loss. Overall, receiving reduced cost meals was associated with a lower likelihood of losing weight (kg) (p<0.01). When stratified by race, White adolescents were more likely to lose weight if caretakers reported having enough money to buy healthy food (p<0.05); in contrast, Black adolescents were less likely to lose weight (p<0.05). However, Black patients were more likely to lose weight if they reported eating fruits and vegetables (p<0.05). Female adolescents were more likely to lose weight if they felt unhappy about their appearance (p<0.05). Interestingly, male adolescents were less likely to lose weight if they felt unhappy about their appearance (p<0.05). Social and cultural norms influence weight loss in adolescents in unique and differing ways. Culturally competent individualized interventions could increase weight loss in diverse groups of adolescents with obesity.