Childhood Obesity: a Study of Group Treatment Targeting Parents Behaviour

Long term effects of treatment of childhood obesity are not well documented but there is growing evidence that parental involvement and behavioral changes are strong predictors of children weight loss. However, which form and content of parental involvement are most effective is not studied. In the present randomized controlled study we compare the effect of parent manualized group treatment ("experimental group") to the effect of parent self-help groups on changes in children Body Mass Index, food intake, physical activity, quality of life and self esteem. We pose the following hypotheses: 1. Parents participating in the experimental group will have children who achieve a larger reduction in BMI than children with their parents in the control group. 2. This treatment effect will be mediated by changes in one of several elements of parents' cognition: outcome expectancies, perceived control, perceived value of outcome, self-efficacy, perceived reduction in barriers, and subjective norms. 3. Reduction in BMI will correlate with increased quality of life, reduced number and severity of mental health problems, and increased self-concept.