Twelve-month effectiveness of a parent-led, family-focused weight-management program for prepubertal children: a randomized, controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
Parenting-skills training may be an effective age-appropriate child behavior-modification strategy to assist parents in addressing childhood overweight.


OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to evaluate the relative effectiveness of parenting-skills training as a key strategy for the treatment of overweight children.


METHODS
The design consisted of an assessor-blinded, randomized, controlled trial involving 111 (64% female) overweight, prepubertal children 6 to 9 years of age randomly assigned to parenting-skills training plus intensive lifestyle education, parenting-skills training alone, or a 12-month wait-listed control. Height, BMI, and waist-circumference z score and metabolic profile were assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months (intention to treat).


RESULTS
After 12 months, the BMI z score was reduced by approximately 10% with parenting-skills training plus intensive lifestyle education versus approximately 5% with parenting-skills training alone or wait-listing for intervention. Waist-circumference z score fell over 12 months in both intervention groups but not in the control group. There was a significant gender effect, with greater reduction in BMI and waist-circumference z scores in boys compared with girls.


CONCLUSIONS
Parenting-skills training combined with promoting a healthy family lifestyle may be an effective approach to weight management in prepubertal children, particularly boys. Future studies should be powered to allow gender subanalysis.
Golley
Rebecca K
RK
Flinders University, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide 5001, South Australia.
Magarey
Anthea M
AM
Baur
Louise A
LA
Steinbeck
Katharine S
KS
Daniels
Lynne A
LA
D000328:Adult; D049088:Bariatrics / Q000379:methods*; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016487:Parenting; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio