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The present study evaluated the impact of an educational program for children with obesity, aimed at improving the nutritional status of the children and also enhancing parents´ understanding and practices on healthy eating. The study, conducted at a Caja del Seguro Social facility in Santiago, Province of Veraguas, Republic of Panama, included children between 0 and 9 years of age. The methodology used was a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-intervention evaluation. The results showed a significant improvement in the children´s nutritional status, with parents´ understanding of proper nutrition increasing from 27% to 82% and healthy eating practices rising from 30% to 75%. Statistical analysis using the Wilcoxon test revealed a significant difference related to the levels of overweight and obesity before and after the intervention (Z=-2.20, p<0.05Z = -2.20, p < 0.05Z=-2.20, p<0.05). These findings confirm that the educational program was effective in reducing the prevalence of obesity and overweight in children and that parents´ education has a positive impact on modifying family habits, which highlights the importance of implementing similar programs in other populations.
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