How Do Treatment-Seeking Overweight Youth and Their Parents Describe Weight Promoting Factors in Their Family?

The aim of this pilot study is to describe youth and parents' perceptions of potential weight-promoting factors among families seeking treatment for youth overweight. We identified 2 important gaps in the vast multidisciplinary literature: (a) a lack of studies addressing both the youth and the parent perceptions about family factors that are potentially weight-promoting and (b) a lack of interventions that community health nurses could deliver specifically targeting families seeking treatment for overweight youth. Focus group data were content analyzed. Broad themes included: (a) mixed messages, (b) food and exercise as battleground, (c) problem solving, and (d) social aspects of youth overweight. We conclude that youth and parents could benefit from community health nursing interventions to implement healthcare professionals' recommendations incorporating all family members and creating and maintaining an accepting and demanding family climate.