Introduction Few studies have examined concordance/discordance between caregivers to identify whether caregivers see familial and parental factors in the home environment similarly or differently and whether the agreement or disagreement is related to adolescent obesity risk. Answers to these questions are important and may inform whether family-based childhood obesity interventions need to target both parents. Objective The main objective of the study is to examine whether and how parental concordance/discordance on factors in the home environment (e.g., importance of family meals, parent feeding practices, encouraging child physical activity, limit setting on child screen time) are associated with adolescent health behaviors and weight status. Design Data from two linked population-based studies were used in cross-sectional analyses. Linear regression models examined associations between parental concordance/discordance on home environment factors and adolescents’ health behaviors and weight status. Participant/Settings Racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse adolescents (n=1,052; 54% girls; mean age = 14.3 years) and their parents (n=2,104; 52% female; mean age = 41.0 years) from Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota participated in the study. Anthropometric assessments and surveys were completed at school by adolescents and surveys were completed at home by parents. Results Parental concordance on home environment factors was high for some factors (e.g., 68% concordance on not pressuring adolescent to eat) and low for other factors (e.g., 2% concordance on parent engaging in physically activity with child 4+ hours/week). Parental concordance on positive home environment factors (e.g., frequency of family meals) was associated with more adolescent healthful eating patterns and hours of physical activity (p < 0.05), but not consistently. When parents were discordant, adolescents had higher consumption of fast food and more unhealthy weight control behaviors (p < 0.05), but not consistently. Conclusions Results suggest there is some degree of parental concordance on home environment factors, however the results were inconsistent and approximately one third of parents were discordant on these factors. Future research is needed to further examine the role of parental concordance/discordance on adolescent health behaviors and weight status.

Pediatric obesity is a growing health concern afflicting the United States. The treatment for pediatric obesity, as a health epidemic, costs billions of dollars to our nation, leaving providers and researchers searching for effective and sustainable ways to better manage the biological, psychological, and social health of individuals and families. While many assessments and interventions continue to emerge, researchers have predominately focused on intra‐individual concerns among white non‐Hispanic populations. This quantitative study was grounded in a relational theory (attachment theory), with a dyadic and primarily Hispanic sample. Evidence from our study supported that child attachment predicted child obesogenic behavior and that this relationship was mediated by child self‐regulation. Children with insecure attachments had more obesogenic behaviors and lower self‐regulation of eating than those with secure attachments. Family therapists should be on the frontlines of relational research and clinical interventions that interface with biopsychosocial health across diverse cultures and families

As a result of this systematic review of articles, evaluation of the success and sustainability of the operational and financial worlds can now be conceptualized at provider and practice levels. Collaboration and communication between medical and behavioral health providers was a significant operational characteristic related to success and sustainability. Financial characteristics indicated that continuous financial evaluation throughout implementation was important to success and sustainability. (PsycINFO Database Record

Lay Summary Patient portals provide patients access to health records, lab results, medication refills, educational materials, secure messaging, appointment scheduling, and telehealth visits, allowing patients to take a more active role in their health care decisions and management. This article systematically reviewed all literature regarding patient education through patient portals to determine its effectiveness in improving patient engagement and ability to manage their health conditions. The results found that efforts are being made to raise awareness of educational resources in patient portals, that patients are increasingly utilizing these resources, that patients are finding them useful, and that they are improving health outcomes. It seems that patient portals are becoming a powerful tool for patient engagement and show promise as a means of improving patients’ health. Continued efforts need to be made to raise awareness of patient educational resources in patient portals so that patients utilize these resources to increase their knowledge, skills, and confidence for managing their own health and health care.

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