Parental experience of obese children with special needs
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Exploring parental experiences of adopting healthy lifestyles for overweight and obese children with special needs
IRAS ID
238817
Contact name
Anne Payne
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Plymouth
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 28 days
Research summary
Children with special health care needs are at an increased risk of obesity and related illnesses compared to the general population. This study aims to explore the experiences of parents of overweight and obese children with special needs to adopt healthy lifestyles advice.
A qualitative study design will be carried out using semi-structured interviews in order to explore in detail participant’s experiences.
Childhood obesity continues to increase in prevalence worldwide. In the UK it is estimated that 29.2% of girls and 26.1% of boys (2-19 years) are overweight or obese (Public Health England, 2016). Children and adults with special health care needs, have been found to have a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity rates than the general population, putting them at a higher risk of obesity-related illness and comorbidities.
There is a lack of research on effective lifestyle weight management interventions specifically developed for children with special needs, particularly focusing on what are the experiences of parents in adopting healthy lifestyle advice.
Parents of children with special needs referred for dietetic weight management interventions within our local NHS community setting will be invited to take part in the study. The study will entail one face-to-face or telephone interview with parents, lasting approximately 1 hour.
A qualitative study will be carried out to gather rich, in-depth data regarding the experiences of parents who have received dietetic intervention within our local community setting. It is hoped the findings from this study will increase the awareness of healthcare professionals working with parents of children with special needs, regarding what facilitates and/or motivates parents making lifestyle changes, as well as what challenges they face in adopting healthy lifestyles advice.
REC name
London - Dulwich Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1476
Date of REC Opinion
17 Aug 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion