Spillover Effects of a Family-Based Childhood Weight-Management Intervention on Parental Nutrient Biomarkers and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors

Background: Parental involvement has been shown to favorably affect childhood weight-management interventions, but whether these interventions influence parental diet and cardiometabolic health outcomes is unclear. Objectives: The aim was to evaluate whether a 1-y family-based childhood weight-management intervention altered parental nutrient biomarker concentrations and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs). Methods: Secondary analysis from a randomized-controlled, parallel-arm clinical trial (NCT00851201). Families were recruited from a largely Hispanic population and assigned to either standard care (SC; American Academy of Pediatrics overweight/obesity recommendations) or SC + enhanced program (SC+EP; targeted diet/physical activity strategies, skill building, and monthly support sessions). Nutrient biomarkers (plasma carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins, RBC fatty acid profiles) and CMRFs (BMI, blood pressure, glucose, insulin, lipid profile, inflammatory and endothelial dysfunction markers, adipokines) were measured in archived samples collected from parents of participating children at baseline and end of the 1-y intervention. Results: Parents in both groups (SC = 106 and SC+EP = 99) had significant reductions in trans fatty acid (-14%) and increases in MUFA (2%), PUFA n-6 (ω-6) (2%), PUFA n-3 (7%), and β-carotene (20%) concentrations, indicative of lower partially hydrogenated fat and higher vegetable oil, fish, and fruit/vegetable intake, respectively. Significant reductions in high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP; -21%) TNF-α (-19%), IL-6 (-19%), and triglycerides (-6%) were also observed in both groups. An additional significant improvement in serum insulin concentrations (-6%) was observed in the SC+EP parents. However, no major reductions in BMI or blood pressure and significant unfavorable trajectories in LDL-cholesterol and endothelial dysfunction markers [P-selectin, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM), thrombomodulin] were observed. Higher carotenoid, MUFA, and PUFA (n-6 and n-3) and lower SFA and trans fatty acid concentrations were associated with improvements in circulating glucose and lipid measures, inflammatory markers, and adipokines. Conclusions: The benefits of a family-based childhood weight-management intervention can spill over to parents, resulting in apparent healthier dietary shifts that are associated with modest improvements in some CMRFs.