Parental Communication With Children Around Obesity Management Medications, Weight Loss, and Health Behavior Change

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe parental communication with children around obesity management medications (OMMs) and child, parent, and family factors associated with communication. METHODS: Parents (N = 211; 80% mothers; 89% White) prescribed OMMs at a medical center participated in a survey about communication with children about OMM use, weight, and health behaviors. Logistic regression models assessed associations between communication about OMMs and child weight, diet, and activity. RESULTS: Among study participants, 50% of parents talked with their child about the decision to take OMMs; 75% talked openly about it. Parents with older children were more likely to have open communication about OMMs (OR = 1.10; p = 0.016). Parents with impaired family functioning were less likely to communicate about OMMs (OR = 0.23; p = 0.002). Children who made comments to parents about their own weight were more likely to notice parents' weight loss (OR = 2.70; p = 0.002), be older in age (OR = 1.13; p = 0.006), and have overweight (OR = 3.58; p < 0.001). Parents who reported their child made comments about his or her own diet were more likely to report that their child noticed parents' diet change (OR = 4.40; p < 0.001), had overweight (OR = 2.03; p = 0.046), and had healthy family functioning (OR = 0.42; 95% p = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: Parents are talking with their children about their OMMs and behaviors, especially with older children, children with overweight, and in families with healthy functioning.