ABSTRACT Background Parental weight status is a key predictor of childhood obesity. However, limited evidence exists on how longitudinal changes in parental BMI influence children's weight trajectories, particularly in families at elevated risk for type 2 diabetes. Objectives To investigate children's body mass index‐for‐age z ‐score (BMIz) changes over a 2‐year period, associated with independent and cumulative changes in parents' BMI. Methods In the Feel4Diabetes study, data from 12 280 children (age: 8.2 ± 1.0 years) and their parents were analysed to assess changes in child BMI‐for‐age z ‐scores over 2 years in relation to parental BMI changes. Analyses were adjusted for study design and baseline socio‐demographic factors and were conducted in both the total sample (all‐families) and high‐risk for type 2 diabetes families (HR‐families). Results In the all‐families dataset, a 1 kg/m 2 independent decrease in maternal and paternal BMI was associated with a −0.037 (−0.041, −0.033) and −0.027 (−0.031, −0.023) change in child's BMIz mean (95% CI). The joint parental effect was stronger −0.32 (−0.36, −0.28), particularly in HR‐families −0.34 (−0.42, −0.26). Conclusions Parental BMI reductions, especially when both parents are involved, contribute to favourable BMI changes in children. The changes were more pronounced in HR‐families, underscoring the need for interventions targeting the whole family in populations at elevated risk for type 2 diabetes.
Karaglani et al. (Sun,) studied this question.