Effects of Family-Based Intervention for Childhood Obesity on Parental and Offspring Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Ying Zhang, Luojie Pang, Shenglan Yang et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis examined randomized controlled trials of family-based interventions for children with obesity and at least one family member, assessing outcomes in both children and parents. Twenty trials involving 1740 participants were included. Interventions significantly reduced children’s BMI z-score, with additional benefits reported for long-term BMI z-score and percentage of total body fat. Programs that involved parents as active co-participants showed larger effects than those treating them as supporters. No significant effect was found on parental BMI.
Key findings
- Across 20 randomized controlled trials involving 1740 participants, family-based interventions significantly reduced children’s BMI z-score.
- Additional benefits were reported for long-term BMI z-score and percentage of total body fat.
- Interventions involving parents as active co-participants showed larger effects than those positioning them as supporters.
- No significant effect on parental BMI was found.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that family-based obesity interventions can benefit children, while involving parents as active agents may be more effective than assigning them a supporting role. The absence of a significant parental BMI effect also indicates that child benefits should not be assumed to extend to parents’ weight outcomes.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not report effect sizes or certainty ratings, limiting assessment of the magnitude and confidence of the reported benefits.