Parents' perspective on weight management interventions for adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
BACKGROUND
Adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have high rates of obesity. However, little research has been conducted demonstrating effective strategies and barriers for weight loss or weight management in adolescents with IDD. Furthermore, parents play a large role in terms of weight management in children and adolescents with IDD, and their views should be taken into consideration when designing a diet and PA intervention for weight management.


OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study are to better understand the parents' perspectives on the strategies and barriers for helping children and adolescents with IDD be successful in a weight management program and to identify how this information to guide future approaches.


METHODS
Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 18 parents whose children had just finished a diet and PA intervention. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and thematic analysis was performed.


RESULTS
Parents reported a positive attitude toward the program, liked the convenience of the program, and felt that they learned beneficial strategies to encourage healthy habits in the home. Parents found time to be a major barrier to supporting their child with a diet and PA intervention. Parents were willing to change their own dietary behaviors to help their children successfully follow a weight loss intervention; however, no parent reported changing their own PA levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Future diet and PA studies should aim to reduce parental time commitment and increase importance of PA.
Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA. Electronic address: lptomey@kumc.edu.
Lauren T
LT
Ptomey
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
Cheryl A
CA
Gibson
Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
Erik A
EA
Willis
Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA; Department of Nutrition Services, Children's Mercy Hospital, 2401 Gillham Rd, Kansas City, MO 64108, USA.
Jacob M
JM
Taylor
Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
Jeannine R
JR
Goetz
Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
Debra K
DK
Sullivan
Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA.
Joseph E
JE
Donnelly
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000150:complications*; D004032:Diet; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010290:Parents; D015431:Weight Loss
Adolescents; Diet; Parents; Physical activity; Weight loss