Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 31, 2026
Physical Activity Measurement in Children Accepting Table Tennis Training
Published on: July 27, 2022
Training parents of overweight children in parenting skills: a 12-month evaluation
1Department of Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. ellen.moens@ugent.be
Insights
Parental involvement in a cognitive behavioral training program significantly reduced children's adjusted BMI and improved eating behaviors. This family-centered approach shows promise for pediatric obesity treatment.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Behavioral Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood obesity necessitates family-centered interventions, with parental involvement crucial for treatment success.
- Limited consensus exists on optimal intervention formats, highlighting the need to assess behavioral outcomes alongside weight changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a parent-led cognitive behavioral training intervention for childhood obesity.
- To assess both weight and behavioral outcomes in overweight children and their families.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study randomized 50 families with overweight children (6-12 years) into a parent-led intervention group or a waitlist control group.
- A follow-up study compared all participating children to a reference group over one year.
Main Results:
- The intervention group showed a significant decrease in adjusted BMI over 6 months.
- All children achieved a 7% decrease in adjusted BMI from baseline to one-year follow-up, contrasting with an increase in the reference group.
- Parents reported significant improvements in children's eating behaviors and familial health principles.
Conclusions:
- Parent-led cognitive behavioral interventions demonstrate potential effectiveness for pediatric obesity, impacting both weight and behavioral outcomes.
- Further long-term follow-up is warranted to determine sustained benefits of enhanced parenting skills on lifestyle modifications.
Background:
The origins of childhood obesity invariably need to be looked at within a family context and several reviews have concluded in favour of parental involvement in the treatment of paediatric obesity. However, there is little consensus on the format, and next to weight outcomes behavioural outcomes also merit more attention when assessing program effectiveness.
Method:
In this pilot study, a total of 50 families with overweight children (aged 6-12) were randomly allocated to a parent-led intervention group (cognitive behavioural training) or to a waiting list control group (Study 1). Afterwards, the parents of the waitlist control group also followed the intervention. All children were included in a follow-up study and were compared with a reference group (Study 2).
Results:
The intervention group as well as the waitlist group (who had not yet received treatment) showed a decrease in adjusted BMI over a 6-month period, although the decrease was only significant for the intervention group (Study 1). All children showed a decrease of 7% in adjusted BMI from pre to one-year follow-up measurement (Study 2), while the reference group showed an increase in adjusted BMI over that period. Parents reported significant positive changes in children's eating behaviour and a significant positive increase in familial health principles.
Conclusions:
Weight and behavioural outcomes suggest potential for intervention effectiveness. Long-term follow-up is needed to reveal residual benefits of enhanced parenting skills on environmental lifestyle changes.
Related Concept Videos
00:55Parental Care
01:27Parenting Styles
Authoritarian Parenting
This style is strict and controlling, with little room for open dialogue. Authoritarian parents demand obedience and often enforce rules with minimal warmth. Children raised this way may lack social skills and initiative, usually comparing themselves to others unfavorably.
Authoritative Parenting
This...
01:27Parentral Nutrition: Centeral and Peripheral Parental Nutrition
PN can be administered through two primary routes:
1. Central Parenteral Nutrition (CPN):
CPN involves delivering a high concentration of nutrients through a large vein. This is typically achieved using a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) or,...