Evaluation of a Childhood Obesity Program Serving a High-Need Population in Brooklyn, New York Using Survival Analysis

Abstract

In this study, we used survival analysis to evaluate whether contact hours intensity was associated with a reduction in time to improvement of various BMI metrics over a 5-year follow-up period at the Live Light Live Right pediatric obesity program in Brooklyn, New York. This was a single-center retrospective longitudinal study of 406 patients during 2010–2016. Participants were categorized based on hours of exposure to Live Light Live Right’s interventions; high contact hours (≥50 h) vs. low contact hours (<50 h). At baseline, 88% of patients in the high contact hour group had severe obesity and the mean age for this group was 10.0 ± 2.66. High contact hours were independently associated with a shorter time to BMI improvement in the sample. There was also a significant association between high contact hours and a longer duration in the improved state. Survival analysis was successful in evaluating the efficacy of the Live Light Live Right Program and demonstrated a positive association between greater intervention intensity and a healthier metabolic profile. Patients’ active engagement in a robust treatment model exemplified by Live Light Live Right is recommended to address the childhood obesity crisis in central Brooklyn.