Parents prescribed obesity management medications are talking with their children about their OMMs and behaviors, especially with older children, children with overweight, and in families with healthy functioning.
Half of parents talked with their child about the decision to take obesity management medications, and three-quarters talked openly about their use.
Parents with older children were more likely to have open communication about obesity management medications.
Parents with impaired family functioning were less likely to communicate about obesity management medications.
Children who made comments to parents about their own weight were more likely to notice parents' weight loss, be older, and have overweight.
Children who made comments about their own diet were more likely to have parents who reported the child noticed parents' diet change, to have overweight, and to come from families with healthy functioning.
This research suggests that when parents take medications to manage their weight (called obesity management medications or OMMs), many of them do talk with their children about it. In a survey of 211 parents, half discussed the decision to take these medications with their child, and three-quarters had open conversations about their use. The study found that parents were more likely to have these open conversations when their children were older, and less likely when family communication and functioning were impaired. The research also found that children who themselves have overweight were more likely to notice and comment on their parent's weight loss and dietary changes. This suggests that children with their own weight concerns may be paying closer attention to what is happening with their parent's body and eating habits. Healthy family functioning was linked to children making comments about their own diets, pointing to the role that overall family communication plays in how weight and health topics are discussed at home. This matters because parents taking weight-loss medications may be role models—intentionally or not—for their children around food, weight, and body image. Understanding how these conversations happen (or don't happen) in families can help healthcare providers guide parents on how to talk about these sensitive topics in ways that are supportive rather than harmful, particularly for children who may already be concerned about their own weight.
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Upload Your LabsPratt K, Gonzlez-Jordan S, Noria S, Skelton J. (2026). Parental Communication With Children Around Obesity Management Medications, Weight Loss, and Health Behavior Change.. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.). https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.70206