Parents as agents of change for childhood obesity prevention: a clinical nursing research programme

Behavioural and environmental practices are important components of paediatric nursing care. A programme of research that focuses on best behavioural practices or interventions can provide paediatric nurses with evidence and confidence that the intended outcomes of their interventions/nursing care will be achieved and in a timely fashion. This paper discusses a clinical nursing research programme dedicated to identifying best practices for promoting child health and wellness, particularly related to the prevention and reduction of childhood obesity. The conceptual model that guides the research programme is described. This model focuses on parents or parent–child dyads as agents of change in behavioural interventions for health promotion and disease prevention. The research literature upon which the programme is based, specifically childhood obesity and behavioural parenting interventions, is reviewed, and three research studies currently underway are discussed. Each of the research projects involves interdisciplinary partnerships, a focus on environmental and behavioural factors that predict childhood obesity, parents as key stakeholders and components of evidence-based behavioural strategies including parent training and motivational interviewing.