Family dietary coaching to improve nutritional intakes and body weight control: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that family dietary coaching would improve nutritional intakes and weight control in free-living (noninstitutionalized) children and parents.


METHODS
Randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
Fifty-four elementary schools in Paris, France.


METHODS
One thousand thirteen children (mean age, 7.7 years) and 1013 parents (mean age, 40.5 years).


METHODS
Families were randomly assigned to group A (advised to reduce fat and to increase complex carbohydrate intake), group B (advised to reduce both fat and sugar and to increase complex carbohydrate intake), or a control group (given no advice). Groups A and B received monthly phone counseling and Internet-based monitoring for 8 months.


METHODS
Changes in nutritional intake, body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), fat mass, physical activity, blood indicators, and quality of life.


RESULTS
Compared with controls, participants in the intervention groups achieved their nutritional targets for fat intake and to a smaller extent for sugar and complex carbohydrate intake, leading to a decrease in energy intake (children, P < .001; parents, P = .02). Mean changes in body mass index were similar among children (group A, + 0.05, 95% confidence interval [CI], - 0.06 to 0.16; group B, + 0.10, 95% CI, - 0.03 to 0.23; control group, + 0.13, 95% CI, 0.04-0.22; P = .45), but differed in parents (group A, + 0.13, 95% CI, - 0.01 to 0.27; group B, - 0.02, 95% CI, - 0.14 to 0.11; control group, + 0.24, 95% CI, 0.13-0.34; P = .001), with a significant difference between group B and the control group (P = .01).


CONCLUSIONS
Family dietary coaching improves nutritional intake in free-living children and parents, with beneficial effects on weight control in parents. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00456911.
Paineau
Damien L
DL
Nutri-Health, Immeuble Ampère, 8 rue Eugène et Armand Peugeot, 92566 Rueil-Malmaison Cedex, France. d.paineau@nutri-health.eu
Beaufils
François
F
Boulier
Alain
A
Cassuto
Dominique-Adèle
DA
Chwalow
Judith
J
Combris
Pierre
P
Couet
Charles
C
Jouret
Béatrice
B
Lafay
Lionel
L
Laville
Martine
M
Mahe
Sylvain
S
Ricour
Claude
C
Romon
Monique
M
Simon
Chantal
C
Tauber
Maïté
M
Valensi
Paul
P
Chapalain
Véronique
V
Zourabichvili
Othar
O
Bornet
Francis
F
D000328:Adult; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D003376:Counseling; D004032:Diet; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019422:Dietary Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity
D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D019422:Dietary Sucrose