Abstract
(1) The objective was to determine changes in parent–child (ages 7–18) dyad skin carotenoids spanning parental participation in a medical weight management program (WMP), and associations with parent BMI, child BMIz, fruit/vegetable intake, and family meals and patterns. (2) The study design was a longitudinal dyadic observational study with assessment at WMP initiation, mid-point (3-months), and conclusion (6-months). Twenty-three dyads initiated the study, 16 provided assessments at 3 months, and 11 at program conclusion. Associations between parent and child carotenoids (dependent variables) and parent BMI, child BMIz, increases in fruit/vegetable intake, and family meals and patterns were analyzed using Pearson’s correlations and independent samples t-tests. Repeated measures ANOVA assessed changes in weight status and carotenoids. (3) Parents experienced significant declines in BMI and skin carotenoid levels over 6 months. Parent and child carotenoids were correlated at each assessment. At initiation, parent BMI and carotenoids were inversely correlated, child carotenoids were associated with increased family meals, and never consuming an evening fast food or restaurant meal were associated with increased parent and child carotenoids. (4) Results demonstrate skin carotenoids are strongly correlated within dyads and may be associated with lower parental BMI and positive family meal practices.
Highlights
The prospective, longitudinal design of this study allows for novel insight into parent and child changes in skin carotenoids and weight during parental participation in an adult medical weight management program (WMP)
This is the first study to examine the relationship between parental participation in a WMP and objective indicators of fruit and vegetable consumption in parent–child dyads
Most parents in the study reported increases in fruit and vegetable intakes at each time point, including initiation. This suggests parents may have increased consumption of fruits and vegetables in an effort to lose weight prior to WMP initiation, and change in consumption of these foods was not a dietary strategy employed throughout WMP participation
Summary
Despite convincing evidence that parental participation in children’s medical WMPs has positive effects on both child and parent behaviors and weight [14,15,16,17], there is a paucity of data on whether these same trends emerge when parents are the identified patient in these programs, and the child is not the focus. This is an important limitation with significant implications given that
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