Child and parental self-monitoring as determinants of success in the treatment of morbid obesity in low-income minority children

Objective: To examine self-monitoring by children and parents as related to weight control over 6 months within a long-term multidisciplinary program for low-income minority children with morbid obesity. Methods: The weight changes of 228 children with obesity were evaluated according to frequency of child and parental self-monitoring. Predictors of self-monitoring were also evaluated. Results: Children who self-monitored on most days lost more weight over 6 months of treatment compared with less-consistent self-monitors. Children whose parents self-monitored were also more likely to self-monitor and lose weight. Conclusions: Self-monitoring seems just as critical for successful weight control among low-income minority children with obesity as it is in the middle-class populations. Although lower education and higher levels of psychosocial stress may decrease self-monitoring and participation by these families, they might still benefit from targeting highly consistent self-monitoring (by parents and children) as a primary goal in weight-control programs.