RESULTS OF A NON- PHARMACOLOGICAL TRIAL FOR WEIGHT LOSS OFOBESE CHILDREN-PARENTS PAIRS

Background: family-based interventions are the most well-established way for the treatmentof childhood obesity.for being applicable and sustainable; these interventions should beassessed in different community settings. the aim of this study was to compare the effects oftwo methods of nutritional intervention on weight loss of of obese children-parents pairs.methods: this 12-week non-pharmacologic trial. with one year of follow up was conductedamong 120 participants (60 pairs of obese children- parents). they were randomly assigned intotwo groups of equal number: one group received a diet with an energy content based on the calorierequirement for height, and the other group received dietary counseling about healthy nutritionfor weight loss.results: comparison of baseline characteristics vs. one-year follow up, showed that themean value of body mass index decreased significantly in children, but not in their parents. inaddition both groups of children had favorable changes in the mean consumption frequency ofthe studied food groups. the difference was not significantly different between the children inthese two groups.conclusion: this study showed that dietary counseling, consisting of simple and applicableimprovement in dietary habits can be integrated to the usual diet of the family, and will result insustainable changes. furthermore, it confirmed the efficacy and sustainability of dietary counselingfor weight control of obese children but not their parents; and emphasized on the importanceof healthy lifestyle establishment, from early life rather than trying to change it duringadulthood