Mechanisms and outcomes of a very low intensity intervention to improve parental acknowledgement and understanding of childhood overweight/obesity, embedded in the National Child Measurement Programme: a sub-study within a large cluster Randomized Controlled Trial (MapMe2)

Objectives Parental underdetection of child underweight and overweight/obesity may negatively affect children's longer-term health. We examined psychological/behavioural mechanisms of a very low-intensity intervention to improve acknowledgement and understanding of child weight after feedback f...

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Main Authors: Evans, Elizabeth H. (Author) , Jones, Christopher (Author) , Adamson, Ashley (Author) , Jones, Angela R. (Author) , Basterfield, Laura (Author) , Greca, João Paulo de Aguiar (Author) , Sermin-Reed, Letitia (Author) , Patterson, Maddey (Author) , McSweeney, Lorraine (Author) , Dhami, Raenhha (Author) , Ells, Louisa (Author) , Gahagan, Alison (Author) , Robinson, Tomos (Author) , Shahrokhabadi, Mohadeseh Shojaei (Author) , Teare, Dawn (Author) , Tovée, Martin J. (Author) , Araújo-Soares, Vera (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: February 2025
In: British journal of health psychology
Year: 2025, Volume: 30, Issue: 1, Pages: 1-25
ISSN:2044-8287
DOI:10.1111/bjhp.12784
Online Access:Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjhp.12784
Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/bjhp.12784
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Author Notes:Elizabeth H. Evans, Christopher M. Jones, Ashley Adamson, Angela R. Jones, Laura Basterfield, João Paulo de Aguiar Greca, Letitia Sermin-Reed, Maddey Patterson, Lorraine McSweeney, Raenhha Dhami, Louisa Ells, Alison Gahagan, Tomos Robinson, Mohadeseh Shojaei Shahrokhabadi, Dawn Teare, Martin J. Tovée, Vera Araújo Soares
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Summary:Objectives Parental underdetection of child underweight and overweight/obesity may negatively affect children's longer-term health. We examined psychological/behavioural mechanisms of a very low-intensity intervention to improve acknowledgement and understanding of child weight after feedback from a school-based weight monitoring programme. Design This sub-study was nested within a larger 3-arm cluster-RCT (1:1:1; N = 57,300). Parents in all groups received written postal feedback on their child's weight classification. Intervention participants received an enhanced feedback letter with computer-generated photorealistic images depicting children of different weight classifications, and access to a website about supporting healthy weight, once (intervention one) or twice (intervention two; repeated 6 months after first ‘dose’). Methods A quantitative process and outcome evaluation using baseline and 12-month BMI z-scores of an opt-in sub-sample of 502 children aged 4-5 and 10-11. Children completed dietary reports, used accelerometers (MVPA), and self-reported self-esteem; 10-11-year-olds also self-reported quality of life and dietary restraint. Parents reported perceptions of child's weight classification, and their intentions, self-efficacy, action planning and coping planning for child physical activity, dietary intake; parents of 4-5-year-olds reported their child's quality of life. Results Neither intervention differentially improved parental acknowledgement or understanding of weight classification at follow-up, although parents in all groups reported better acknowledgement after receiving feedback. The interventions did not affect behavioural/psychological determinants, weight outcomes, children's self-esteem, dietary restraint or quality of life. Conclusions The interventions neither improved parental acknowledgement of child weight, child BMI z-scores and their psychological/behavioural determinants, nor worsened psycho-social sequelae.
Item Description:Erstmals veröffentlicht: 13. Februar 2025
Gesehen am 08.07.2025
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:2044-8287
DOI:10.1111/bjhp.12784