JAMA Pediatr

Responsive parenting intervention curbs childhood obesity risk

March 12, 2025

Early, responsive parenting interventions can have lasting positive effects on child weight outcomes from age 3 to 9 years. Consider incorporating responsive parenting guidance into routine pediatric care to help prevent childhood obesity and promote long-term health.

Study details: The INSIGHT trial randomly assigned 232 primiparous mother-child dyads to either a responsive parenting intervention or standard care, tracking child weight outcomes through age 9.

Results: Of the 177 dyads with data at age 9, children in the intervention group had a lower mean BMI from ages 3 to 9 compared with controls (16.64 vs. 17.07; P = 0.049). Female participants in the intervention group had a significantly lower mean BMI than those in the control group (16.32 vs. 17.32; P = 0.007), with no differences among male participants. No differences in BMI z scores or overweight/obesity prevalence were observed at ages 5, 6, and 9.

Source:

Paul IM, et al. (2025, March 10). JAMA Pediatr. Long-Term Effects of a Responsive Parenting Intervention on Child Weight Outcomes Through Age 9 Years: The INSIGHT Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40063048/