Peer-reviewed article
Not for children's ears? Parents' insights into early childhood overweight and obesity treatment.
My Sjunnestrand, Nicklas Neuman, Anna Ek, Karin Nordin, Ximena Ramos Salas et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study examined parents' experiences during healthcare visits for children's overweight and obesity treatment in Sweden, Romania, and Spain. Parents reported mixed experiences, with some receiving supportive care while others felt stigmatised or received only generic advice. A key concern was how children's exposure to weight-related discussions could harm their well-being. The research highlights the need for healthcare providers to communicate sensitively about weight issues while protecting children from stigma.
Key points
- Some parents experienced supportive, family-centred healthcare interactions, while others received generic advice without adequate individualised support
- Parents reported stigmatisation by healthcare providers, sometimes occurring in the child's presence, raising concerns about psychological impact
- Parents held contrasting views on whether children should be present during weight-related discussions: some feared harm while others supported age-appropriate, open communication
- Healthcare providers must balance honest communication with protection of children from weight stigma
- The study identifies weight stigma in healthcare settings as a barrier to effective obesity management
Limitations
This qualitative study captured parental perspectives only from interviewed parents (45 from Sweden) and cannot establish the prevalence or outcomes of different communication approaches. The data do not measure actual impacts on children's health, psychological well-being, or treatment adherence.
Abstract
This study offers novel insights into parents' experiences of healthcare interactions during weight-related visits. Data were collected through the More and Less Europe study, a randomized controlled trial evaluating a parent support program for children (aged 2-6 years) with overweight or obesity in Sweden, Romania, and Spain to capture parents' experiences of healthcare interactions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 45 Swedish parents (71% mothers, 60% with university degree, 51% of migrant background) of 45 children (mean age 7.1 years, SD 1.3, 76% girls) who received standard treatment for overweight or obesity. The interviews were analyzed thematically, identifying two themes: (1) Support or blame, with subthemes Validating family-centeredness, Overly generic advice, and Stigma and the sense of failing; (2) The place and role of the child, with subthemes Neutral, honest, and direct communication, Not for children's ears, and Framing the message with care. While some parents described supportive interactions, others expressed disappointment with generic advice and inadequate support. Some recalled stigmatization, sometimes in the child's presence, raising concerns about the child's well-being. Approaches to preparing children for visits ranged from neutral to direct explanations. Parents expressed contrasting views on children's presence during weight-related discussions: while some felt such discussions would harm their child, others supported children's presence in open and age-appropriate discussion. This study fills a critical gap in obesity management communication by highlighting parental concerns about children's exposure to weight-related discussions. Addressing these concerns is essential to reducing weight stigma in healthcare and protecting children from harmful experiences.