Signposting children to weight management services could happen when parents attend an adult programme
Parents attending an adult weight management programme, who were worried about their child’s weight, would accept support and signposting to services for their child if it was offered, new research published in BMJ Paediatrics Open has found.
The study, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and supported by the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre (Bristol BRC), suggests that children could be referred into weight management services through parents attending such services to address their own weight.
During the study, researchers conducted surveys and interviewed parents attending Slimming World (a UK-based commercial weight management programme for adults). They found that, out of those parents worried about their child’s weight, most (78 per cent) were open to being offered support for their children.
Out of those parents interested in support for their child, nearly all (98 per cent) were happy for the weight management programme to signpost them to relevant children’s services. The study team also found that almost half of parents not worried about their child’s weight were still interested in a height and weight check for their child.
Parents had different preferences in terms of the format and delivery of services they would potentially find helpful for their children. Avoiding a ‘one size fits all’ approach and offering individual support were important.
Parents were clear that support should focus on being healthy, rather than weight alone. They also suggested weekly sessions may be too frequent and wanted the fact that change takes time to be recognised. Many felt a parent ‘peer support’ group would be beneficial.
Dr Ruth Mears, Clinical Research Fellow at the University of Bristol’s Centre for Academic Primary Care and lead author, said:
“Child weight management programmes should involve the family. However, recruiting families into these programmes can be challenging.
“Despite children having a higher risk of obesity if their parents are affected by obesity, adult weight management programmes don’t routinely link into child weight management services. This misses an opportunity to help children reach a healthier weight together with their family, at a time-point when the parent is already making changes to their own lifestyle.
“Our study supports the potential of a new referral pathway to child weight management programmes, through parents attending adult weight management programmes.”
At Slimming World, we understand the importance of family-focused weight management, and as such, while we don’t offer a weight management programme for children in our groups, we were delighted to collaborate with the University of Bristol’s NIHR Biomedical Research Centre and Centre for Academic Primary Care for this study.
About Slimming World
Slimming World, founded by Margaret Miles-Bramwell OBE in Derbyshire in 1969, is the UK and Ireland’s leading weight loss organisation. Each week, more people choose to attend a Slimming World group than any other weight loss programme. Our tried, tested and trusted evidence-based approach has helped millions of people to lose weight and keep it off long-term. We support 700,000 people weekly through our community weight-loss groups, run by 3,500 highly trained self-employed Consultants, and digital service.
Our founding principles make us unique:
Our support system is built on a deep understanding of the guilt and stigma people living with overweight and obesity experience. We always treat people with genuine care, empathy, respect and understanding. When members join Slimming World, they become part of a community, in group and online, and each week we inspire and motivate people to make positive mindset changes and develop new, lasting healthy habits around food and activity using effective, sustainable behaviour change techniques.
Our healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, liberates members through our concept of Free Food. Members fill up on foods that are naturally lower in energy density (calories per gram) and are highly satisfying while limiting foods that are highest in fat and sugar and are less satisfying. They can lose weight without ever feeling hungry or deprived, all without weighing, measuring or counting everything they eat.
Our physical activity support programme, Body Magic, helps members overcome any barriers they face regarding exercise. Members choose when and how to start, setting their own pace and finding activities they enjoy until regular physical activity becomes an unmissable part of their daily routine.
We proudly work with the NHS, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, The Royal College of Midwives, Diabetes UK and others to help shape the future of weight management in the UK and Ireland. We also support Cancer Research UK, Alzheimer’s Research UK and the Irish Cancer Society through fundraising.
We developed and launched our Slimming World Free Food range, available exclusively in Iceland, The Food Warehouse and Dunnes Stores in Ireland, and introduced our Slimming World Kitchen recipe box service. These help members to continue making healthy choices, even when they’re short on time.
For more information about Slimming World’s approach, visit slimmingworld.co.uk or slimmingworld.ie and for more information about Slimming World Kitchen, visit slimmingworldkitchen.co.uk
Follow Slimming World on social media: TikTok, Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn.
For media enquiries, visit our newsroom or email public.relations@slimmingworld.co.uk
About the National Institute for Health and Care Research
The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:
· Funding high quality, timely research that benefits the NHS, public health and social care;
· Investing in world-class expertise, facilities and a skilled delivery workforce to translate discoveries into improved treatments and services;
· Partnering with patients, service users, carers and communities, improving the relevance, quality and impact of our research;
· Attracting, training and supporting the best researchers to tackle complex health and social care challenges;
· Collaborating with other public funders, charities and industry to help shape a cohesive and globally competitive research system;
· Funding applied global health research and training to meet the needs of the poorest people in low and middle income countries.
NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK Aid from the UK government.
About the National Institute for Health and Care Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre
National Institute for Health and Care Research Bristol Biomedical Research Centre’s (NIHR Bristol BRC) innovative biomedical research takes science from the laboratory bench or computer and develops it into new drugs, treatments or health advice. Its world-leading scientists work on many aspects of health, from the role played by individual genes and proteins to analysing large collections of data on hundreds of thousands of people. Bristol BRC is unique among the NIHR's 20 BRCs across England, thanks to its expertise in ground-breaking population health research.
About the Centre for Academic Primary Care, University of Bristol
The Centre for Academic Primary Care (CAPC) at the University of Bristol is a leading centre for primary care research in the UK, one of nine forming the NIHR School for Primary Care Research. It sits within Bristol Medical School, an internationally recognised centre of excellence for population health research and teaching.
Follow on Bluesky: @capcbristol.bsky.social, X: @capcbristol and LinkedIn