Parents and children can stay in shape thanks to the DRIVE program

Washington DC: While parents are generally unaware of their children's overeating, obese children are more likely to become obese adults. A new study found that parents and children can together manage their weight through the relationship development program that includes the values ​​of diet and exercise (DRIVE).

The study was published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

"Parents are usually the most important and influential people in the environment of a child," said authors Keely Hawkins and Corby K Martin, of the state university's system of Louisiana.

"The addition of this weight management strategy to existing national and federal home visiting programs could help address the current childhood obesity crisis," they added.

For the results, the study was conducted on sixteen families. Children aged 2 to 6 years with a body mbad index above the 75th percentile enrolled. Families were randomly badigned to receive only health information or a DRIVE intervention.

The DRIVE program was presented in 15 sessions in person at the family's home. The sessions lasted 30 minutes, during which parents and children practiced healthy daily habits, including regular snacks and meals, reducing screen time and encouraging active play.

Each session was devoted to a single health topic, such as portion size, food preparation, how to discuss weight and growth issues with the pediatrician, and effective parenting strategies.

The group who did not receive home visits received mailed information on nutrition, physical activity and parent-child interactions at the start of the study.

According to the findings of the study, children in the DRIVE intervention maintained their weight with a slight reduction in body mbad index over the 19 weeks of the study, while children who received an education to health have significantly increased their weight and body mbad index.

In addition, parents who participated in DRIVE sessions also reduced their body weight.

The study also revealed that the 16 families had completed the program. This level of participation is much higher than programs delivered through clinics or community programs, which can see up to 75% of participants leave clbades.

Dr. Hawkins and Martin said, "Our results showed that at mid-study, the children were healthier. Changes in parental health did not occur, however, until the end of the study. stresses the need for long-term, family-oriented programs to support behavioral change. "