title: Parental involvement does not augment the effectiveness of an intense behavioral program for the treatment of childhood obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of active parental involvement in a lifestyle intervention for the management of childhood obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-two overweight children (32 girls and 10 boys), aged 9.2 +/- 0.2 years and with percent overweight 39.8 +/- 2.7%, were randomly allocated either to a child-and-parent group (N = 23) or a child-alone group (N = 19). Both groups attended a 3-month multidisciplinary program extended by booster sessions during follow-up, which involved many cognitive behavioral therapy principles and assigned high self-regulation to the children, but differed in parental involvement. Percent overweight was evaluated at baseline, and at 3, 6, and 18 months thereafter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant interaction between time and group or a significant difference between groups. Percent overweight decreased by 4.9 +/- 1.4 at 18 months (p < 0.001); the reduction occurred during the active phase of the treatment (0-3 months) and was maintained thereafter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the setting of the present study, the active parental involvement did not significantly modify the results of lifestyle interventions for children's overweight management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Eirini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bathrellou
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yannakoulia
authors.forename: Katerina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Papanikolaou
authors.forename: Artemios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pehlivanidis
authors.forename: Panagiota
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pervanidou
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kanaka-Gantenbein
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tokou
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tsiantis
authors.forename: George P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Chrousos
authors.forename: Labros S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Sidossis
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D002666:Psychology, Child; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012927:Social Control, Informal; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss