Parental involvement does not augment the effectiveness of an intense behavioral program for the treatment of childhood obesity.
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.
Bathrellou
Eirini
E
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece.
Yannakoulia
Mary
M
Papanikolaou
Katerina
K
Pehlivanidis
Artemios
A
Pervanidou
Panagiota
P
Kanaka-Gantenbein
Christina
C
Tokou
Ioanna
I
Tsiantis
John
J
Chrousos
George P
GP
Sidossis
Labros S
LS
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