Abstract

This preliminary investigation aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-week health and wellness program for overweight and obese adolescents. The program consisted of physical activity, nutrition education, and behavioral counseling, and involved weekly meetings with parents or caregivers. The study included 20 participants with a mean age of 15.2 years and a mean BMI of 32.6 kg/m2. Results showed significant improvements in weight (-6.9 kg), BMI (-2.6 kg/m2) and waist circumference (-5.1 cm) among the participants. The program also led to improvements in dietary habits and increased physical activity levels. These findings suggest that a comprehensive lifestyle intervention program that includes physical activity, nutrition education, and behavioral counseling, tailored to the individual needs of overweight and obese adolescents and involving parents or caregivers, may be an effective means of achieving sustained weight loss and improved health outcomes in this population. However, further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods is needed to determine the long-term effectiveness of the intervention.