LAUSR

In this issue of the International Journal of Obesity, Anderson and colleagues1 describe results of their analysis testing a popular conceptual model for the prevention of childhood obesity: more structured home routines will lead to better self-regulation, which will prevent childhood obesity. There is a strong theoretical foundation for this model. Obesity-related hormones are entrained by daily routines,2 basic behavior theory suggests that routines increase child compliance3 and poor self-regulation has been repeatedly linked to childhood obesity. Unfortunately, the authors found that while some household routines were associated with some aspects of children’s self-regulation, and some routines were associated with lower obesity risk, the child’s self-regulation was not the mechanism of association. We likewise found that although a behavioral intervention improved children’s self-regulation, these improvements did not reduce childhood obesity.4 A plethora of interventions seeking to improve parenting to prevent childhood obesity have now reported modest effects.5 Why might parenting interventions to prevent childhood obesity not be as effective as expected?