Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of active parental involvement in a lifestyle intervention for the management of childhood obesity. DESIGN: Forty-two overweight children (32 girls and 10 boys), aged 9.2±0.2 years and with percent overweight 39.8±2.7%, were randomly allocated either to a child-and-parent group (N = 23) or a child-alone group (N = 19). Both groups attended a 3-month multidisciplinary program extended by booster sessions during follow-up, which involved many cognitive behavioral therapy principles and assigned high self-regulation to the children, but differed in parental involvement. Percent overweight was evaluated at baseline, and at 3, 6, and 18 months thereafter. RESULTS: There was no significant interaction between time and group or a significant difference between groups. Percent overweight decreased by 4.9±1.4 at 18 months (p <0.001); the reduction occurred during the active phase of the treatment (0-3 months) and was maintained thereafter. CONCLUSION: In the setting of the present study, the active parental involvement did not significantly modify the results of lifestyle interventions for children’s overweight management.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
August GP, Caprio S, Fennoy I, et al, 2008 Prevention and treatment of pediatric obesity: an endocrine society clinical practice guideline based on expert opinion. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 93: 4576–4599.
Spear BA, Barlow SE, Ervin C, et al, 2007 Recommendations for treatment of child and adolescent overweight and obesity. Pediatrics 120: S254–288.
Barlow SE, 2007 Expert committee recommendations regarding the prevention, assessment, and treatment of child and adolescent overweight and obesity: summary report. Pediatrics 120: Suppl 4: 164–192.
Gilles A, Cassano M, Shepherd EJ, Higgins D, Hecker JE, Nangle DW, 2008 Comparing active pediatric obesity treatments using meta-analysis. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 37: 886–892.
Johnson-Taylor WL, Everhart JE, 2006 Modifiable environmental and behavioral determinants of overweight among children and adolescents: report of a workshop. Obesity (Silver Spring) 14: 929–966.
Perry CL, Luepker RV, Murray DM, et al, 1988 Parent involvement with children’s health promotion: the Minnesota Home Team. Am J Public Health 78: 1156–1160.
O’Dougherty M, Story M, Stang J, 2006 Observations of parent-child co-shoppers in supermarkets: children’s involvement in food selections, parental yielding, and refusal strategies. J Nutr Educ Behav 38: 183–188.
Epstein LH, Valoski A, Wing RR, McCurley J, 1990 Ten-year follow-up of behavioral, family-based treatment for obese children. JAMA 264: 2519–2523.
Golan M, Weizman A, Apter A, Fainaru M, 1998 Parents as the exclusive agents of change in the treatment of childhood obesity. Am J Clin Nutr 67: 1130–1135.
Israel AC, Guile CA, Baker JE, Silverman WK, 1994 An evaluation of enhanced self-regulation training in the treatment of childhood obesity. J Pediatr Psychol 19: 737–749.
McGovern L, Johnson JN, Paulo R, et al, 2008 Clinical review: treatment of pediatric obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 93: 4600–4605.
Briefel RR, Wilson A, Gleason PM, 2009 Consumption of low-nutrient, energy-dense foods and beverages at school, home, and other locations among school lunch participants and nonparticipants. J Am Diet Assoc 109: S79–90.
Hawkins SS, Cole TJ, Law C, 2009 Examining the relationship between maternal employment and health behaviours in 5-year-old British children. J Epidemiol Community Health 63: 994–1004.
Bathrellou E, Yannakoulia M, Papanikolaou K, et al, 2010 Development of a multidisciplinary intervention for the treatment of childhood obesity based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Child & Family Behavior Therapy 32: 34–50.
Cole TJ, Bellizzi MC, Flegal KM, Dietz WH 2000, Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: international survey. BMJ 320: 1240–1243.
Birch LL, Fisher JO, 1998 Development of eating behaviors among children and adolescents. Pediatrics 101: 539–549.
Oude Luttikhuis H, Baur L, Jansen H, et al, 2009 Interventions for treating obesity in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev: CD001872.
Jelalian E, Saelens BE, 1999 Empirically supported treatments in pediatric psychology: pediatric obesity. J Pediatr Psychol 24: 223–248.
Epstein LH, Paluch RA, Roemmich JN, Beecher MD, 2007 Family-based obesity treatment, then and now: twenty-five years of pediatric obesity treatment. Health Psychol 26: 381–391.
Wilfley DE, Tibbs TL, Van Buren DJ, Reach KP, Walker MS, Epstein LH, 2007 Lifestyle interventions in the treatment of childhood overweight: a meta-analytic review of randomized controlled trials. Health Psychol 26: 521–532.
Wilfley DE, Stein RI, Saelens BE, et al, 2007 Efficacy of maintenance treatment approaches for childhood overweight: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA 298: 1661–1673.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bathrellou, E., Yannakoulia, M., Papanikolaou, K. et al. Parental involvement does not augment the effectiveness of an intense behavioral program for the treatment of childhood obesity. Hormones 9, 171–175 (2010). https://doi.org/10.14310/horm.2002.1267
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14310/horm.2002.1267