When parents adopt healthier habits to lose weight, their children may benefit too, new study suggests
New independent research[1] published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Paediatrics Open found that many parents attending weight management groups reported positive changes in their children’s health behaviours, including increased physical activity and eating healthier food.
The survey, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), explored the experiences of 396 Slimming World members with children aged five to 11 and found that:
· more than two thirds (67 per cent) who were concerned about their child’s weight felt more motivated to support them after addressing their own weight
· almost half (48 per cent) of parents reported healthy improvements in what their child ate after they joined the weight loss programme
· more than a quarter (27 per cent) said their child had become more physically active
The findings come against a backdrop of growing concerns about obesity rates among younger generations. Global studies suggest that one in three children, adolescents and young adults could be living with overweight or obesity by 2050[1], while evidence shows children with parents living with obesity are more likely to experience obesity themselves[2].
Researchers at the University of Bristol who carried out the study say the findings highlight the importance of considering the wider family impact of adult weight management interventions.
This research strengthens the case for putting families at the heart of adult weight management policy and practice. Supporting parents doesn’t necessarily just improve outcomes for individuals – it may positively influence children’s everyday health behaviours such as their diets and activity levels. Weight management programmes that recognise and harness this family-wide benefit might potentially play an important role in creating healthier home environments and improving health outcomes for future generations. Improving health and dissatisfaction with appearance emerged as the leading motivations for weight loss among parents, each influencing more than four in five (81 per cent) respondents. Many parents wanted their children to have a healthier future because of the difficulties they had faced themselves with their weight and health.
These findings reinforce what we've long known at Slimming World: when parents adopt healthier habits, the benefits often extend beyond the individual and become part of everyday family life. From healthier meals and increased physical activity to more positive attitudes towards food and wellbeing, these changes can help shape healthier futures for children too.
“Supporting members to build healthy habits that work for the whole household has been at the heart of our approach since Margaret Miles-Bramwell founded Slimming World as a young mum more than 55 years ago. Through family-friendly recipes and practical activity ideas, we've always encouraged healthy habits to support positive change across the family. Our own evidence has consistently shown that this approach helps create healthier home environments and healthier futures for the next generation.
Slimming World’s approach focuses on helping members make sustainable changes to their eating, activity and lifestyle habits through peer support and behaviour-change strategies. By combining practical healthy eating and activity guidance with goal setting and the encouragement of a supportive group who are all losing weight too, members are empowered to make realistic changes that fit into everyday life and support long-term weight management.
The researchers conclude that future work is needed to better understand how adult weight management programmes can further contribute to healthier family environments and support positive behaviour change across generations.
One of the most powerful things about being a Slimming World member is the ripple effect it can have on the people around you. When I first walked into group, I weighed 29st and felt like I'd run out of options. People are often surprised that I didn't lose weight through surgery or medication. It was the support, encouragement and belief of my Consultant and fellow members that helped me make small changes, build healthier habits and learn practical strategies for navigating everyday challenges. That knowledge and confidence helped me stay on track, even when things felt difficult.
“Those changes haven't just transformed my life, they've had an impact on my whole family. As a mum of two daughters, I know they're always watching and learning from me. The healthier habits I've developed through Slimming World are helping to shape the relationship they'll have with food and that's incredibly important to me. I'm now living the life I always dreamed of, but if my girls grow up with a healthier relationship with food than I did, that'll be one of the biggest successes of my journey.
[1] Mears R, Sharp D, Searle A, Salway R, Hamilton-Shield J. Effect of parent attendance at an adult commercial weight management programme on their children. BMJ Paediatrics Open. 2026;10:e004417. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2025-004417
[2] Global, regional, and national prevalence of child and adolescent overweight and obesity, 1990–2021, with forecasts to 2050: a forecasting study for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021 - The Lancet
[3] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/childhood-obesity-applying-all-our-health/childhood-obesity-applying-all-our-health