@article{3867ed87b60f42e3986959cbc5fffc8b,
title = "Family Systems Theory and Obesity Treatment: Applications for Clinicians",
abstract = "Family-based approaches are recommended for the treatment of pediatric obesity, although most of the literature describes programs that only include the identified child and one parent in the treatment process. As a result, the clinical application of research protocols in nutrition settings may be inadequate; multiple representations of a {"}family{"} will be encountered in the clinical environment. Mental health professionals, particularly those who work with children, often engage families in psychotherapy. Developing an understanding of their methods may be beneficial to Dietitians and other clinicians who wish to follow a more family-based approach and may present new avenues for effective treatment. In our tertiary care pediatric obesity clinic, we routinely involve multiple family members throughout the treatment process. Here we discuss our experiences and introduce Bowen's Family Systems Theory as a model for translating family therapy principles into nutrition-focused treatment settings.",
keywords = "family, obesity, pediatric, theory, treatment",
author = "Kaplan, {Sebastian G.} and Arnold, {Elizabeth Mayfield} and Irby, {Megan B.} and Boles, {Katherine A.} and Skelton, {Joseph A.}",
note = "Funding Information: Family-based approaches are the gold standard in pediatric obesity treatment, although no formal guidelines have been established to direct dietitians and other clinicians in their interactions with family units. Leaning on practices that have been used abundantly by mental health professionals in family therapy settings, dietitians may be able to apply such approaches to pediatric obesity in order to enhance treatment with entire family units. Our own clinical practice has greatly benefited from applying these principles and approaches and informed the scenarios presented here ( Table 1 ). FST provides us with core principles for approaching behavior change with individual families, and given the known influence of the family system on the weight-related behaviors of children, this theoretical framework has implications for improved outcomes in family-based obesity treatments. The authors would like to thank Karen Klein (Translational Science Institute, Wake Forest School of Medicine) for providing helpful edits of this manuscript. Authors{\textquoteright} Note Dr Skelton was supported in part by a grant from NICHD/NIH Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award K23 HD061597.■ ",
year = "2014",
month = feb,
doi = "10.1177/1941406413516001",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "6",
pages = "24--29",
journal = "Infant, Child, and Adolescent Nutrition",
issn = "1941-4064",
publisher = "Sage Periodicals Press",
number = "1",
}