Helping parents understand BMI may lead to positive changes in childhood obesity
To that end, Welk was part of a new study, published in Childhood Obesity , which found parents were more likely to change their child's lifestyle when schools provided educational materials along with the results of their child's body mass index screening. Some parents in the study received only BMI results, while others had access to the Family Nutrition and Physical Activity screening tool, an online tool designed to help parents evaluate their home environments and practices. "The FNPA assessment can be a good supplement to any school obesity prevention program and it is also useful for clinical evaluations," Welk said. "Some clinics are now using it in parent well-child visits so that pediatricians can advise parents about how to help their kids." Welk says the supplemental information appeared to help parents in the study understand BMI results, as well as identify strategies to take at home, such as offering more fruits and vegetables, limiting...