TY - JOUR
T1 - Family Functioning Predicts Body Mass Index and Biochemical Levels of Youths with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
AU - Smith, Justin D.
AU - Montaño, Zorash
AU - Maynard, Andrew
AU - Miloh, Tamir
N1 - Funding Information:
J. D. Smith was supported by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention grant DP006255 awarded to J. D. Smith and Cady Berkel and National Institute on Drug Abuse grant DA027828 awarded to C. Hendricks Brown. Z. Montao was supported by minority fellowship SM60563-40 from the Department of Health and Human Services. Seed funding from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University awarded to Thomas Dishion supported J. D. Smith and Z. Montao.
Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright 2017 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Family functioning is associated with obesity-related chronic illnesses and impedes effective treatment of weight-related conditions, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Objectives: Evaluate the utility of a brief screening measure of family functioning among youth aged 8 to 18 years being treated in a specialty care clinic for NAFLD. Methods: Thirty-nine youths and their caregivers participated. Relations between family functioning and anthropometric and biochemical variables assessed 3 to 6 months later were evaluated using regression analyses, controlling for child age, gender, and ethnicity. Results: Family functioning was related to significantly higher body mass index (BMI) and levels of cholesterol, HbA1c, and glucose, but not serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) - a marker of NAFLD - controlling for baseline levels. The magnitudes of effects were medium for models of BMI (Cohen's f 2 = 0.29), cholesterol (0.32), and blood glucose (0.30) and small to medium for HbA1c (0.23) and ALT (0.10). Conclusion: This is the first study to examine the role of family functioning in youth with NALFD. Treatment programs might consider screening for family functioning to identify families that could benefit from a family-centered behavioral intervention.
AB - Family functioning is associated with obesity-related chronic illnesses and impedes effective treatment of weight-related conditions, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Objectives: Evaluate the utility of a brief screening measure of family functioning among youth aged 8 to 18 years being treated in a specialty care clinic for NAFLD. Methods: Thirty-nine youths and their caregivers participated. Relations between family functioning and anthropometric and biochemical variables assessed 3 to 6 months later were evaluated using regression analyses, controlling for child age, gender, and ethnicity. Results: Family functioning was related to significantly higher body mass index (BMI) and levels of cholesterol, HbA1c, and glucose, but not serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) - a marker of NAFLD - controlling for baseline levels. The magnitudes of effects were medium for models of BMI (Cohen's f 2 = 0.29), cholesterol (0.32), and blood glucose (0.30) and small to medium for HbA1c (0.23) and ALT (0.10). Conclusion: This is the first study to examine the role of family functioning in youth with NALFD. Treatment programs might consider screening for family functioning to identify families that could benefit from a family-centered behavioral intervention.
KW - Index terms: family functioning
KW - nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
KW - obesity
KW - screening
KW - weight management
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U2 - 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000379
DO - 10.1097/DBP.0000000000000379
M3 - Article
C2 - 27984419
AN - SCOPUS:85006307089
SN - 0196-206X
VL - 38
SP - 155
EP - 160
JO - Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
JF - Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics
IS - 2
ER -
