The Effect of Motivational Interviewing and Healthy Diet on Anthropometric Indices and Blood Pressure in Overweight and Obese School Children

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of children obesity is increasing all over the world. Healthy diet is one of the interventions for obesity treatment. Behavioral therapy approaches can affect child’s food behaviors. One of these approaches is motivational interviewing. Methods: This study was a paralleled randomized clinical trial. 96 children were randomly allocated to 3 groups: first group, diet and motivational interview, second group, diet, and the third one, control. Participants were under intervention for 8 weeks. Anthropometric indecies and blood pressure were measured at baseline and at the end of the intervention. To make sure about the maintenance of intervention effects, participates were assessed 3 month later again. Adherence to diet was assessed by measuring healthy eating index. Findings: The mean body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) in first (P < 0.001) and second (P = 0.001) groups decreased after intervention, but this difference were not significant in control group. In first group, this reduction was more than the second group. The mean blood pressure had no significant difference between the 3 groups. The mean healthy eating index was higher in first group than the second group. There was an inverse relation between healthy eating index with body mass index and waist circumference (P = 0.001). Conclusion: Healthy diet can reduce mean body mass index and waist circumference in overweight and obese children. Using diet therapy with motivational interview increases this effect and also the adherence to diet.

Keywords

• Motivational interviewing
• Healthy diet
• Anthropometry
• Blood pressure
• Overweight