A Study to Determine the Effectiveness of a Self-regulation Program to Treat Pediatric Obesity

The objective of this study is to pilot test, evaluate and compare the effects of Cue Reactivity and Sensitivity Training (CRST) and Children's Appetite Awareness Training (CAAT) in 48 children aged 8-12 years old. The central hypothesis is that CRST and CAAT will reduce eating in the absence of hunger in overweight children immediately following treatment and 6-months post treatment. The primary aim of this proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy and compare the effectiveness of Cue Responsivity and Sensitivity Training (CRST) or Children's Appetite Awareness Training (CAAT) in decreasing eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) in overweight children. Following this first intervention, a second intervention to determine the efficacy of a combination program (combined CAAT \& CRST) will be implemented. The secondary aim of this study is to evaluate change in the following related measures for both children and adults who participated in CRST, CAAT, and the combination program: BMI for age, food intake, perceptions of control over eating, and self-efficacy in managing high-risk food situations.