The relationship between parent and child self-reported adherence and weight loss

Objective: Better adherence to treatment strategies in family-based behavioral weight control programs may lead to greater weight reduction and improved weight maintenance in youth. This study assessed the influence of child and parent self-reported adherence to behavioral strategies on changes in 2-year child and parent percentage overweight. Research Methods and Procedures: Participants included 8- to 12-year-old children in ≥ 85th BMI percentile and their parents from 110 families taking part in two family-based randomized controlled weight control studies. This study examined whether self-reported adherence to behavioral strategies measured at 24 months increased prediction of child and parent percentage overweight change through 24-month follow-up after accounting for other factors that may influence weight change. Results: Child adherence to weighing and to preplanning for celebrations where high-fat foods are served and parent adherence to praising the child and modeling healthy eating habits predicted 24-month child percentage overweight change (p < 0.001). Child adherence to recording food and calories and parent adherence to modeling healthy eating habits predicted 24-month parent percentage overweight change (p < 0.001). In hierarchical regression models, child weighing and preplanning and parent modeling were significant (p < 0.01) incremental predictors (r² of 24.8%) of 24-month child percentage overweight. Child recording and parent modeling were significant (p < 0.01) incremental predictors (r² of 14%) of parent 24-month percentage overweight change. Discussion: Child and parent adherence to specific components of family-based behavioral weight control treatment are independent predictors of long-term child and parent percentage overweight change.