According to the University of Buffalo, primary care treatment of overweight and obese preschoolers proved most effective when a parent was involved alongside the child. With the participation of parent, children were found to shed more weight and keep it off longer than children treated independently.
The 96 children participants were between the ages of two and five and were all overweight or obese. The University of Buffalo researchers divided the children into two groups: an intervention group (children treated alongside a parent) and a control group (children treated independently). The results were calculated through body mass index (BMI) - the measurement of body fat based on height and weight.
The researchers found that the children in the intervention group experienced a more appropriate weight gain in accordance with their height (12 pounds over 24 months and a 0.21 decrease in BMI) compared to the control group (16 pounds over 24 months). Additionally, the parents involved in the treatment lost an average of 14 pounds and witnessed a BMI decrease of over two units. After one year, the researchers followed up with the intervention group participants to check on their height, weight, and BMI.
Weight loss among the parents and children remained unchanged over the course of 12 months, during which the parents were asked to record the number of servings consumed in each food category as well as the type and length of physical activity. An important feature of the study included the use of practice enhancement assistants who were trained in psychology, nutrition, or exercise science. These assistants worked with the parents over the phone to recommend a daily diet while also suggesting them to avoid a number of "high energy" foods. The use of the assistants proved successful and the researchers believe they can be utilized in practical settings.
"We have entered a new era where students, trainees and specialists have to learn how to better interact with primary care providers and implement care coordination," said senior author Teresa A. Quattrin, MD, in this University of Buffalo news release. "This paper suggests that, indeed, family-based strategies for any chronic disorder, including obesity, can be successful in primary care. The pediatrician's office can become a 'family-centered medical home.' "
The study, "Treatment Outcomes of Overweight Children and Parents in the Medical Home," was published in the journal Pediatrics on Monday.
