STARKIDS Trial Finds Greater Maintenance Motivation in Caregivers

This secondary analysis of the cluster-randomized STARKIDS trial compared motivation among caregivers and adolescents in an 18-month motivation-focused weight-management program with optimized treatment-as-usual. Motivation was assessed using short-form questionnaires based on the Transtheoretical Model, covering precontemplation, contemplation, action and maintenance. The supplied report does not state the number of participants analyzed.

Caregivers in the intervention group had significantly greater changes in the maintenance subscale than controls at both reported follow-up comparisons. Changes in the action subscale favored intervention but were described as trends. No between-group differences were found in adolescents. Among intervention caregivers, adolescents’ obesity-related quality of life, as reported by parents, was a negative predictor of change in caregiver action-stage motivation.

The findings concern motivation scores, not weight or other clinical outcomes, and do not establish that the program improved weight management. They support further study of caregiver motivation and individualized approaches, but the reported results alone do not justify changing clinical practice.