Early life-responsive parenting can lead to healthier weight outcomes for children in their earliest years, with effects lasting but diminishing into middle childhood, according to a new study. Conducted by the and the at Penn State University, this research is part of the , a long-term interdisciplinary collaboration focusing on preventing obesity during the first two years after birth.
“In the United States, childhood obesity rates remain alarmingly high, with over 22% of children 6 to 19 years old classified as obese,” said , principal investigator and the University Professor of Pediatrics at the College of Medicine. “We aimed to address this trend through a novel intervention that emphasizes the importance of responsive parenting practices during the crucial early years of a child’s life.”
The new findings, published today, March 10, in , compared two groups of first-time mothers and their children, who received guidance from nurses, including home visits, during the first two years after delivery. One group received responsive parenting education, teaching mothers how to tune into and respond to their child’s emotional and physical needs in areas such as feeding, sleep, play and emotional regulation. The control group received education on how to identify and prevent hazards in their homes. The study team that their responsive parenting intervention had positive effects on weight outcomes of children through age 3 years.
In the new publication, researchers tracked the weight and body mass index (BMI) of children from ages 3 to 9 years, with mixed results. Children randomized to the responsive parenting program had significantly lower average BMI through middle childhood compared to those in the control group. Interestingly, the researchers discovered that the beneficial effects were particularly pronounced among female participants, suggesting that the responsive parenting approach may be especially effective for girls.
"These findings highlight the potential for early-life interventions to make a lasting impact," said the study’s other principal investigator, , Professor of Nutritional Sciences and Director of Penn State’s Center for Childhood Obesity Research (CCOR). "By fostering early-life responsive parenting practices, we can help establish healthy growth trajectories that may reduce the risk of obesity as children grow."
However, Paul cautioned that while the research showed a clear initial impact, effects diminished over time, suggesting that a life-course approach that accounts for exposures beyond early childhood may be necessary to sustain the gains made by the early life-responsive parenting intervention.
“Our intervention stopped when the participating children were 2 years old and focused on the parenting of young children rather than behaviors and risk-factors that emerge among school-aged children,” Paul said. “While we are delighted that we made an impact early on, the fact that the beneficial effects disappeared by age 9 is not surprising, given the obesogenic environment we live in. Ongoing efforts to reinforce healthy habits throughout childhood may be necessary to sustain these benefits.”
The researchers said they believe the study's results reinforce the idea that diet and exercise are not enough to mitigate childhood obesity, but promoting responsive parenting practices and styles may make a difference. Implementing these practices could play an essential role in nurturing healthier futures for children.
Other authors from Penn State include Jennifer M. Barton, assistant research professor, CCOR; Emily E. Hohman, associate research professor of nutritional sciences; Orfeu M Buxton, professor of biobehavioral health; and Lindsey B. Hess, research project manager, CCOR. Stephanie Anzman-Frasca, associate professor at the University of Buffalo also participated in this research.
This work was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the Children’s Miracle Network at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Penn State Clinical and Translational Research Institute, and National Institutes of Health National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences.
About Penn State College of Medicine
Located on the campus of in Hershey, Pa., boasts a portfolio of more than $150 million in funded research. Projects range from the development of artificial organs and advanced diagnostics to groundbreaking cancer treatments and understanding the fundamental causes of disease. Enrolling its first students in 1967, the College of Medicine has more than 1,700 students and trainees in medicine, nursing, the health professions and biomedical research on its two campuses.
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