Multisystemic Therapy (MST) for Obesity in African American Youth

MST is an intensive, family centered, community based treatment originally designed for use with adolescents presenting with serious mental health problems. In this study, MST interventions are aimed at increasing adolescent and family adherence to dietary and exercise recommendations and targeting barriers within the family system, and the broader community systems within which the family is embedded (peers, schools, health care). Decreasing caloric consumption consistent with recommended intake targets, increasing daily exercise and decreasing sedentary activity, are treatment focuses depending on whether the adolescent has difficulty with this aspect of weight management or not.

Shapedown, is a clinic-based, adolescent weight loss intervention. Shapedown utilizes psycho educational, behavior, and family therapy techniques in a 10-week group intervention. In order to match MST's length of intervention (6 months), three follow-up sessions are added at monthly intervals.