Parental experiences of adopting healthy lifestyles for children with disabilities living with overweight and obesity.

BACKGROUND

Children with disabilities present with high obesity rates.

OBJECTIVE

This study explored the parental experience of adopting healthy lifestyle choices, for children with disabilities, who received dietetic weight management advice.

METHODS

Semi-structured qualitative interviews were carried out with eight parents/carers in their own homes or healthcare setting in an inner London locality, or by telephone. Data was analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) approach.

RESULTS

Five superordinate themes emerged: 1. Strategies to promote healthy lifestyles: encouraging physical activity, limiting access to food and taking a gradual approach to making lifestyle changes. 2. Challenges to adopting healthy lifestyles: selective eating patterns, the high cost of healthy foods and parental/carer lack of time. 3. The role of healthcare professionals (HCPs): revealed that not all parents/carers received advice or support, prior to dietetic referral, when managing their child's weight. Feeling reassured by HCPs was valued. Parents/carers reported a positive experience of seeing the dietitian, as they appreciated receiving practical and individualized advice. 4. Support needs: family support and support from families with children with disabilities was explored. 5. Parent/carer wellbeing: such as stress was found to have a detrimental impact on parents making healthy lifestyle changes.

CONCLUSIONS

Adopting a healthy lifestyle involved a variety of strategies and challenges, some of which are specific to this population group and should be considered by HCPs, when having weight-related discussions and offering advice. Parental/carer support needs and wellbeing should also be taken into consideration when planning weight management services for this population group.