Étude pilote : influence de la prise en charge de mères obèses sur leurs attitudes éducatives vis-à-vis des comportements obésogènes des enfants

Obese mothers of low socioeconomic status have children with a significantly higher risk of developing obesity. Certain up-bringing practices seem to increase this risk. The purpose of this research is to investigate the influence of patient education in obese women on their up-bringing behavior. Forty-six overweight or obese women, mothers of at least one child under 12, taking part in a social center patient education program betweenOctober 2011 and February 2013 were included. Asemi-structured interviewwas conductedwith 5women to assess their practices and behaviors. At the end of the patient education program, the mothers forced their children less often to finish their plates and asked them more often if they were hungry before giving them a snack. Families often played board games. The interviews confirmed a substantial change in the up-bringing practices concerning attitude towards food and exercising. This study suggests that in social-economically disadvantaged areas, early management of obese mothers promotes behavioral change at the household level, and could be a lever in the prevention of childhood obesity.