Effects of a parent-led childhood obesity management program for socioeconomically vulnerable families: A randomised controlled trial

Background: There is little information on the effects of parent-led interventions on promoting obesity-specific parenting behaviours and reducing children's obesity status among socioeconomically vulnerable families. Aim: We examined the effects of a parent-led childhood obesity management program on parenting antecedent factors, parenting behaviours, children's healthy lifestyle behaviours, and children's obesity status, based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour framework. Methods: A randomised controlled trial was conducted (Trial no. KCT0006351KCT0006351). The participants were 52 pairs of parents and their overweight/obese children who were enrolled in either one of the Dream Start Centres or Community Child Centres in Seoul, South Korea. They were randomly allocated into either the intervention group (n = 26) or the control group (n = 26). The intervention group received a 12-week program that consisted of multiple behavioural and environmental strategies implemented through four intervention modes including home visits. The primary outcome was parenting behaviour; secondary outcomes were parenting antecedent factors and children's variables. Outcomes were measured at baseline and after 12 weeks. Findings: Compared to the control group, the intervention group showed significantly higher overall scores of parenting behaviours with significantly increased levels of parenting antecedent factors, higher percentages of recommended fruit and vegetable intake and moderate physical activity (p < 0.05 for all), and lower body mass index z-scores among children (p < 0.001). Discussion and conclusion: The parent-led childhood obesity management program may effectively improve parenting behaviours for promoting children's healthy eating and activity behaviours and reducing children's obesity status among socioeconomically vulnerable families.