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Parental Concerns About Child Disordered Eating Among Youth With High Weights Participating in a Motivational
Lenora P Goodman1, Emerson Delacroix2, Sarah McNally3
1Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota School of Public Health, Minneapolis, MN.
Insights
Parental concerns about child disordered eating in youth with high weights were common but did not impact study retention or change during the intervention. Further research on screening approaches is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric obesity research
- Behavioral interventions
- Disordered eating in children
Background:
- Parental concerns regarding disordered eating are crucial in pediatric obesity interventions.
- Understanding these concerns can inform tailored support for families.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize parental concerns about child disordered eating in youth with high weights.
- To explore associations with sociodemographic factors and study retention within a motivational interviewing intervention.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Population Effects of Motivational Interviewing on Pediatric Obesity in Primary Care study (a cluster-randomized controlled trial).
- Included 214 parents/guardians of children aged 3-11 years with BMI ≥ 85th percentile.
- Assessed disordered eating concerns using four screening questions at baseline and follow-up.
Main Results:
- 44.9% of parents reported at least one disordered eating concern at baseline.
- Concerns were higher in parents describing their child as overweight or obese (57.1% vs 29.8%).
- Baseline concerns did not correlate with study retention and showed no significant change post-intervention.
Conclusions:
- Parental disordered eating concerns are prevalent but may not influence engagement in behavioral interventions for pediatric obesity.
- Future studies should investigate intervention effects on disordered eating risk and screening strategies in diverse populations.
Objective:
To characterize parental concerns about child disordered eating among youth with high weights in a motivational interviewing-based behavioral intervention, exploring associations with sociodemographic characteristics and study retention.
Design:
Data were from the Population Effects of Motivational Interviewing on Pediatric Obesity in Primary Care study, a cluster-randomized controlled trial.
Participants:
Participants (n = 214) were English/Spanish-speaking parents/guardians of children aged 3-11 years with a body mass index ≥ 85th percentile, randomized to the intervention.
Intervention:
Six remote counseling calls with registered dietitians and 4 in-person visits with primary care providers.
Variables Measured:
Four screening questions captured parental concerns about child disordered eating (loss of control eating, weight loss, weight/shape preoccupation, dietary restriction) at baseline and follow-up.
Analysis:
Bivariate analyses examined associations between baseline concerns and sociodemographic characteristics and study retention. McNemar's chi-square test compared concerns at baseline and follow-up.
Results:
At baseline, 44.9% of parents reported ≥ 1 disordered eating concern, with higher concerns seen among parents describing their child as overweight or obese (57.1% vs 29.8%, P < 0.001). Baseline concerns were not associated with study retention and did not change significantly throughout the intervention.
Conclusions And Implications:
Future research could benefit from examining the influence of behavioral intervention components on disordered eating risk over time and exploring the application of staged screening approaches among diverse groups.
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