Targeting Parents Leads to Children's Weight Loss

Common sense would dictate that parents are the first line of defence when it comes to preventing obesity in children.

Now there's a study to back up what most people suspect - approaches that specifically target parents can result in significant weight loss in moderately obese prepubertal children.

Randomized controlled trial of 169 moderately obese children, who were 5 to 9 years of age.Parents were targeted as the agents of change, and were randomly assigned to take a six-month health lifestyle course alone, or in combination with a parenting training course.The children's body mass index (BMI) and waist z scores were measured at the end of the parenting training, and then at six-month intervals during a two-year follow-up period.The researchers also studied the impact of the training course on parenting outcomes, measured by questionnaires assessing factors such as parental feelings of satisfaction and efficacy in their role.Statistically significant 10-percent reductions in the BMI and waist z scores for both groups of children over the first six-month period, which was maintained for 24 months.Improvement was also seen in the parenting outcomes.Both groups showed similar improvements, with little difference between the two groups. This is a very successful outcome from a seemingly well-conducted trial. Especially so when you see continued success at the two year mark - rare in the world of long-term weight loss trials.

Programs that teach parents about the basics of healthy eating including shopping, cooking, preparing, all on a budget and with time constraints, would be invaluable towards setting children up for success - both short term and long term. Hopefully this study provides some impetus for putting programs like this into action, particularly for those groups most vulnerable to obesity.

Children's health begins in the home. To be sure, it takes the proverbial village to raise a healthy child, but starting at home with parents is the right idea. Getting children to healthier weights, setting them up for healthier eating later on in life, and improving the eating habits of parents makes for a win, win, win situation.

Image Credit: Di-the-huntress

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