The Efficacy of a Family-Based Intervention Program on Childhood Obesity

Abstract

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to assess the efficacy of a family-based (FB) weight-loss and behavior-modification intervention among overweight/obese children (age 9-11 years) and their parents in Taiwan. The intervention group (52 child-parent dyads) participated in an FB program for 7 weeks. The control group (55 child-parent dyads) received an educational pamphlet about obesity prevention. The children's body mass index (BMI) z-scores were the primary outcome variable. The parents' BMI, high-calorie (HC) food-intake behaviors, screen-related behaviors, and restrictions on children's consumption of HC foods and screen-related behaviors and the availability of HC foods at home were the secondary outcome variables. Outcome variables were measured at baseline (T0), at the end of the intervention (T1), and 4 weeks after the end of the intervention (T2). A linear mixed model was used to assess the efficacy of the FB program. Results indicated that the children's BMI z-scores decreased significantly more from T0 to T2 in the experimental group than in the control group. The decreases in parents' HC food-intake behaviors and availability of HC foods at home and the increase in parental restrictions on children's consumption of HC foods were significantly greater in the experimental than in the control group from T0 to T1 and T0 to T2. The FB program was effective in modifying parental behaviors and the weight of overweight/obese children in a Taiwanese population.

Parental Body Mass Index Is Associated With Adolescent Obesity in Taiwan

“…Cognitive and behavioral interventions have been employed in Taiwan with obese children and adolescents, but benefits were not observed in a long‐term follow up (Shih, Fan, & Hsiung, ). In a more recent study conducted in Taiwan with overweight or obese sixthgraders and their parents, those who participated in a nurse‐led intervention program for 7 weeks compared to a control group had healthier food available at home, improvement in physical activities, reduced video activity, and significant reductions in BMI of both parents and children (Chen, Kao, Hsiu, Wang, & Hsu, ). Providing parents and their children the opportunity to participate in such a program altered the home environment.…”

“…Increasing dynamic physical activity and reducing the use of video devices can help children develop healthy lifestyles (Lin, Lin, Yang & Chou, ). Nurses can conduct family interventions similar to that of Chen et al (), which could support behavioral change and activities and a lower BMI for both parents and children, thus reducing adolescent obesity.…”

Feasibility study of a combined lifestyle behaviors and asthma self‐management intervention for school‐aged children

“…Chen, Kao, Hsu, Wang, and Hsu (2015) tested a family-based weight loss intervention for 9- to 11-year old children with 107 parent-child dyads. The intervention was delivered in four 2-hour biweekly education sessions that focused on nutrition and behavior modification.…”

Effects of the Healthy Children, Healthy Families, Healthy Communities Program for Obesity Prevention among Vulnerable Children: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

“…The minimum sample size of children was calculated according to the criteria for cluster-randomized trial design [32], because community child centers were allocated as clusters into intervention and control groups. We used BMI z-score as a primary outcome variable [33]. Chen, Kao, Hsu, Wang, and Hsu's (2015) study showed a significant improvement in BMI z-scores among children, with means (standard deviations (SD)) of 2.8 (1.16) and 2.4 (1.09) in the intervention and control groups, respectively; the mean difference between two groups was 0.4 after a seven-week family-based intervention [33].…”

“…We used BMI z-score as a primary outcome variable [33]. Chen, Kao, Hsu, Wang, and Hsu's (2015) study showed a significant improvement in BMI z-scores among children, with means (standard deviations (SD)) of 2.8 (1.16) and 2.4 (1.09) in the intervention and control groups, respectively; the mean difference between two groups was 0.4 after a seven-week family-based intervention [33]. Accordingly, we took 0.8 as the mean difference based on the assumption that the present study may show a two times higher effect size than Chen et al's (2015) study because of the multi-level interventions in addition to the family-based intervention and the longer duration.…”