FAMILY INFLUENCE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY

Abstract

Childhood obesity has become a growing health problem, causing lifelong physical and psychological implications. The family exerts a significant influence on this process, as parents serve as role models for shaping children's habits and lifestyles. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between family influence and the risk of childhood obesity. This is an integrative literature review conducted in July and August 2025 in the PubMed, LILACS, and MEDLINE databases, through the Virtual Health Library (VHL), using the descriptors "childhood obesity," "lifestyle," and "family" and the Boolean operator "AND." After applying the exclusion and inclusion criteria, six articles were analyzed. The results indicate that sedentary family members, those with poor eating habits, limited cooking skills, or those who transition to overweight increase the risk of childhood obesity, while family members who engage in physical activity, have frequent family meals, and have an adequate diet have a protective effect. It is concluded that the family nucleus can impact obesity in children, since the eating habits and lifestyle of those responsible, whether healthy or not, reflect on the health of children.