SD | UCSD
Family-based behavioral treatment (FBT) is a clinically-proven approach to treating children with obesity in which a health care professional works with the family to help children lose weight by promoting physical activity, encouraging healthy eating habits, and teaching age-appropriate behavioral skills. While FBT is traditionally led by clinicians, researchers at University of California San Diego’s Center for Healthy Eating and Activity Research (CHEAR) have now found that self-guided FBT is just as effective in helping children lose weight compared to traditional approaches. It is also more flexible in terms of scheduling, costs significantly less and requires fewer contact hours with a provider.