Conclusions
Parental weight change is an independent predictor of child weight change. Positive weight change in the mother had a more dominant influence on a child's positive weight change than did the father's positive weight change. Understanding the relationships between parental weight change and child weight change during different transitions can help professionals educate parents about effective behavioral programs to use with their children. Future family-based obesity prevention and treatment programs should consider how best to include and engage mothers in their efforts to reduce obesity-related risk factors in the long term.