Table 1 Subjects characteristics. Average (± SD) age, weight loss, BMI before, after the program and at follow-up and weight loss maintained in terms of percentage of initial body weight, are given here for the entire group, as well as for each follow-up category. When BMIs before the program and at follow-up are compared, a significant difference could be found only in the 2-year follow-up group (t = 2.919, P = 0,0051).

2 years

43,3 ± 12,7

10,4 ± 6,3

30,6 ± 4,5^*

26,6 ± 3,9

29,2 ± 5,0^*

7,0 ± 8,3

(n = 55)

3 years

45,8 ± 12,5

12,2 ± 7,6

31,5 ± 5,0

27,0 ± 4,1

30,8 ± 5,4

4,5 ± 6,1

(n = 42)

4 years

46,1 ± 14,6

10,2 ± 5,8

30,2 ± 6,1

26,3 ± 5,9

30,0 ± 7,0

3,4 ± 5,5

(n = 42)

5–6 years

43,4 ± 13,4

10,6 ± 7,0

29,6 ± 5,0

25,5 ± 3,5

29,2 ± 5,8

4,7 ± 6,3

(n = 55)

7–8 years

40,4 ± 13

11,2 ± 6,6

28,0 ± 3,4

23,3 ± 4,1

28,5 ± 4,8

3,5 ± 5,7

(n = 51)

9–11 years

39,8 ± 9,7

12,8 ± 9,1

29,3 ± 3,8

24,8 ± 4,4

29,7 ± 4,5

3,4 ± 6,7

(n = 46)

Entire

43,0 ± 12,8

11,2 ± 7,0

29,8 ± 4,7

25 ± 4,5

29,5 ± 5,4

4,5 ± 6,6

group

(2–11 yrs)

(n = 291)