Parental Communication With Children Around Obesity Management Medications, Weight Loss, and Health Behavior Change
Authors' conclusion
Parents are talking with their children about their OMMs and behaviors, especially with older children, children with overweight, and in families with healthy functioning.
Study context
- Population
- Parents prescribed obesity management medications (OMMs) at a medical center; 80% mothers, 89% White
- Participants
- 211 parents
- Outcome
- Parental communication with children about OMM use, weight and health behaviors, and associated child, parent and family factors
Methodological detailssurvey, single medical center
- Survey
- Single medical center
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Parental communication about OMMs
Parents who talked with child about decision to take OMMs
50%
Parents who talked openly about it
75%
Open communication about OMMs with older children
OR = 1.10
p = 0.016
Communication about OMMs with impaired family functioning
OR = 0.23
p = 0.002
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Child comments about own weight
- Child noticed parents' weight loss
- OR = 2.70; p = 0.002
- Older child age
- OR = 1.13; p = 0.006
- Child has overweight
- OR = 3.58; p < 0.001
Child comments about own diet (parent-reported)
- Child noticed parents' diet change
- OR = 4.40; p < 0.001
- Child has overweight
- OR = 2.03; p = 0.046
- Healthy family functioning
- OR = 0.42; 95% p = 0.025
Original publication
Parental Communication With Children Around Obesity Management Medications, Weight Loss, and Health Behavior Change. Obesity (Silver Spring). Published 26 April 2026. doi:10.
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