Although many experts recommend family-based weight-loss programs that involve both parents and their overweight children, a recent study suggests that only including parents in these programs may be sufficient. A randomized controlled trial that included 150 overweight and obese children aged 8 to 12 years and their parents generated the following results:

• Children and a parent were assigned to either a family-based weight loss program or parent only program. Both programs included 20 1-hour group meetings and 30-minute individualized behavioral coaching sessions for 6 months.
• By the end of the trial, body mass index z scores were the same in both groups.
• Intention-to-treat analysis demonstrated that the parent-based program was noninferior to the family-based program at 6, 12, and 18 months of follow-up.