To date, few obesity prevention interventions have
successfully changed dietary intake or physical activity
among adolescents and fewer yet have limited weight
gain [66]. Our results suggest that factors within the
general family environment, including family functioning
and quality of parent-adolescent relationship, may
be important factors to address within interventions
design to support healthful behaviors and weight status
among adolescents. Future research should employ a
longitudinal design to help elucidate the temporal and
potentially bi-directional nature of the associations we
found. Experimental research, such as family-based psychotherapy
interventions, could also examine the extent
to which improving family functioning or parent-child
relations results in improved weight outcomes among
adolescents.