Child and parental self-monitoring as determinants of success in the treatment of morbid obesity in low-income minority children.
OBJECTIVE
To examine self-monitoring by children and parents as related to weight control over 6 months within a long-term multidisciplinary program for low-income minority children with morbid obesity.


METHODS
The weight changes of 228 children with obesity were evaluated according to frequency of child and parental self-monitoring. Predictors of self-monitoring were also evaluated.


RESULTS
Children who self-monitored on most days lost more weight over 6 months of treatment compared with less-consistent self-monitors. Children whose parents self-monitored were also more likely to self-monitor and lose weight.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-monitoring seems just as critical for successful weight control among low-income minority children with obesity as it is in the middle-class populations. Although lower education and higher levels of psychosocial stress may decrease self-monitoring and participation by these families, they might still benefit from targeting highly consistent self-monitoring (by parents and children) as a primary goal in weight-control programs.
Germann
Julie N
JN
La Rabida Children's Hospital, E. 65th St at Lake Michigan, Chicago, Illinois 60649, USA. jgermann@larabida.org
Kirschenbaum
Daniel S
DS
Rich
Barry H
BH
D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009767:Obesity, Morbid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D010290:Parents; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome