Multidisciplinary intervention with sibutramine: assessing successful weight loss predictors in military adolescent dependents.

OBJECTIVES Assess body mass index (BMI) reduction through a multidisciplinary intervention with sibutramine in adolescents of military parents and examine characteristics and behavioral traits as predictors of successful weight loss. METHODS A prospective study where participants received sibutramine daily for 6 months. Adolescents ages 12 to 18 with BMI-for-age and sex greater than 95 percentile and good health were enrolled. Outcome variables are BMI, biochemical indices, and clinical measurements. Predictor variables are participant demographics, family history, lifestyle changes, and behavioral traits assessed with behavioral assessment for children. RESULTS One hundred participants were recruited with 81% completion. In those participants who completed the 6-month intervention, a mean participant BMI reduction of 3.1 kg/m2 (-9.3%) (p < 0.001; 95% CI: -10.5% to -7.9%) was obtained with 79% successfully meeting the weight loss goal. Sibutramine dose was increased from 10 to 15 mg at 3 months for participant with <2.5% BMI reduction from baseline. Sibutramine dose at 3 months (p < 0.001) and participants perception of relationship with parents (p = 0.05) were statistically significant predictors of successful weight loss (> or =10% reduction in BMI). CONCLUSIONS Sibutramine was effective at promoting minimum beneficial BMI reduction of 5% in adolescents with service-connected parents; however, increasing dosage at 3 months did not improve the likelihood of being successful.