Parent Participation Contributes to Success of Youth Weight-Related Health Interventions

Introduction: Identifying key strategies to improve youth's weight-related health (WRH) and lasting health behaviors is critical to reducing chronic disease risk and improving quality of life among populations. Current literature suggests that parent participation in youth WRH interventions may contribute to their success. The purpose of this study was to critically evaluate the influence of parents on youth WRH interventions by conducting a systematic and meta-analytical review of current literature. Degrees of parent participation were examined along with actual BMI changes of youth participants. Method: An extensive literature search and selection process was conducted based on predetermined selection criteria. Data were extracted from selected articles and were weighted according to sample sizes. An effect size (Cohen's d) of pre-post BMI changes was calculated, and differences between effect sizes of experimental and control groups were assessed using one-way ANOVA (significance defined as p ≤ .05). Post hoc analyses were also conducted to examine differences between groups of interventions. Results: Reports of 42 interventions met the selection criteria and were included in this review. Levels of parent participation among interventions consisted of: no parent participation (10 studies); optional parent participation (9 studies), and mandatory parent participation (23 studies). Significant differences existed among the three levels of parent participation, p < .05. Further, youth participants of interventions with mandatory parent participation had significantly greater BMI reductions than youth participants of interventions with optional and no parent participation combined, p = .016. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that parent participation in youth WRH interventions contributes to the success of effectively reducing youth participants' BMIs.

Learner Objectives: During this session, participants will have the opportunity to: -Learn practical methods to conduct a systematic literature review and a meta-analysis. -Grasp and apply critical findings of both qualitative and quantitative results to current practice. -Take away novel ideas in order to expand them in future research. -Learn about study implications and, following the session, utilize them in planning future health education and health promotion programs.