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NCT Number: NCT00867373

Parent Perceptions of Weight Status: Impact of a Pilot Intervention

This pilot study is a randomized controlled trial with an embedded cross sectional study exploring parental perceptions of their weight status and how it affects their perceptions of their child's weight status. This study uses an educational intervention in which parents are informed of their actual weight status and how it affects their child's health. We will study the effect of this intervention on the parent's perceptions of and level of concern for their own and their child's weight status.

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Key information

Conditions

Obesity Body Weight Nutrition Disorders Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Overnutrition Overweight Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

3 year–13 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

The Children's Hospital

Aurora, Colorado, 80010, United States

About this study

Pediatric obesity has tripled in the past 20 years. Obesity prevention early in life is important and parental participation is essential. Parents must recognize overweight in their child so health providers may engage them in a dialogue to change their child's diet and physical activity patterns, yet a large proportion of parents do not recognize that their child is overweight. Parents' misperception of their overweight child's weight status presents a barrier to treating obesity.

This pilot study is a randomized controlled trial with an embedded cross sectional study exploring parental perceptions of their weight status and how it affects their perceptions of their child's weight status. This study uses an educational intervention in which parents are informed of their actual weight status and how it affects their child's health. We will study the effect of this intervention on the parent's perceptions of and level of concern for their own and their child's weight status.

Our goal is to develop a primary care intervention that will enhance parental perceptions of overweight and motivation to make changes for their family. Pilot data collected here will support an R21 Exploratory/Developmental Clinical Research Grant in Obesity or a Centers for Disease Control (CDC) or Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJ) grant submission.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Boys and girls ages 3 to 13 years old presenting with at least one biological parent for a routine health maintenance exam (WCC) at the Child Health Continuity Clinic will be eligible. Parents must be able and willing to have their height and weight measured at the clinic

Exclusion criteria

  • Child has previously been referred to a nutritionist/dietician or specialized clinic/program for weight management
  • Child is currently being treated for failure to thrive
  • Child is on parenteral nutrition
  • Child is on chronic systemic steroid therapy
  • Child is non-mobile/wheelchair bound
  • The family has previously enrolled into the study with a prior sibling
  • Family is unable to be contacted at home
  • Presenting parent cannot speak and read English or Spanish at at least a 5th grade level

Treatment and study plan

Education Intervention

Behavioral

The intervention is a short educational handout regarding BMI and the effect of parental weight status on children.

Primary outcomes

  1. Proportion of parents correctly assessing their own weight status

    Time frame: At first visit

Secondary outcomes

  1. Proportion of parents correctly assessing their child's weight status

    Time frame: At first visit

  2. Proportion of parents who underestimate own weight status who also underestimate their child's weight status

    Time frame: At first visit

  3. Change in proportion of parents underestimating their own weight status

    Time frame: At first visit and at one week follow up phone survey

  4. Change in proportion of parents underestimating their child's weight status

    Time frame: At first visit and at one week follow up phone survey

  5. Change in level of concern pre- and post-intervention

    Time frame: At first visit and at one week follow up phone survey

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Colorado, Denver

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Parent Perceptions of Weight Status: Impact of a Pilot Intervention to Enhance Awareness of Risk for Overweight Parents and Their Children

Important dates

Study start
2007
Primary completion
2008
Study completion
2008
First posted
Mar 23, 2009
Registry last updated
Apr 26, 2013

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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