Changes in weight status of caregivers of children and adolescents enrolled in a community-based healthy lifestyle programme: Five-year follow-up

• Published in: Obesity research & clinical practice Vol. 18; no. 2; pp. 154 - 158
• Main Authors: Hadley, Thomas S., Wild, Cervantée E.K., Maessen, Sarah E., Hofman, Paul L., Derraik, José G.B., Anderson, Yvonne C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2024
• Subjects: Body mass index; Lifestyle intervention; New Zealand; Paediatric obesity; New Zealand; Body mass index; Paediatric obesity; Lifestyle intervention
• ISSN: 1871-403X; 1878-0318
• DOI: 10.1016/j.orcp.2024.03.006

Whānau Pakari is a family-centred healthy lifestyle programme for children/adolescents with overweight/obesity in New Zealand. This secondary analysis from our randomised trial within the clinical service assessed 5-year BMI changes in accompanying caregivers (n = 23), mostly mothers. Overall, baseline and 5-year caregivers’ BMI were similar (32.50 vs 31.42 kg/m2, respectively; p = 0.31) but two-thirds (65%) experienced BMI reductions. Five-year BMI change was similar in High-intensity and Low-intensity randomisation groups [–1.37 kg/m2 (–4.95, 2.21); p = 0.44]. Caregiver’s BMI change was not associated with child’s BMI change. Despite no overall BMI reduction, our findings contrast with upward BMI trajectories predicted for NZ adults with overweight/obesity.