One-Year Family- and Home-Based Intervention for Childhood Obesity: Changes in Eating Behaviors and Diet Quality Among All Family Members

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a complex and multifactorial condition. For children living with overweight and obesity (OW/OB), family- and home-based intervention is a recommended approach to support weight management. We evaluated changes in eating behaviors and diet quality after a 1-year home-based intervention targeting families with at least 1 child living with OW/OB. METHODS: Eating behaviors (cognitive restriction [CR], emotional eating [EE], uncontrolled eating [UE]) were assessed using the DEBQ (caregivers) and the CTFEQ-r17 (children). Diet quality was measured using a brief questionnaire based on France's nutritional guidelines. Linear mixed models assessed intervention effects. RESULTS: Among 142 families (n = 194 children [53% girls] with OW/OB, n = 223 caregivers [60% female]), overall diet quality improved (P < .04), except male caregivers with OW/OB. Children showed reduction in UE (P < .001) and caregivers in EE and UE (P < .02). Reduced zBMI among children with OW/OB was associated with decreased CR, whereas an increased in zBMI was associated with increased CR (r = 0.65; P = .04). CONCLUSION: This 1-year intervention improved overall diet quality and UE across and reduced zBMI in children with OW/OB. However, children responded differently: some reduced zBMI and CR, whereas others experienced an increase in CR and zBMI.