Background:

Childhood overweight was one of the most common diseases in our time. Overweight children showed a lower quality of life and had a risk of being bullied and isolated from the world. Motivational interviewing as a treatment focus on the patient and their willingness to change. Empowerment had an important role in that process. The nurse's work included meeting patients of different ages in different types of care. Motivational interviewing fit well into the nurse's values and norms of pediatric care.

Aim:

To illuminate children's and parents experience of motivational interviewing in the care of overweight children.

Method:

The method used was a literature review with focus on both qualitative and quantitative facts. The nine studies included in this review had been published between the years of 2008-2013.

Results:

The analysis showed conflicting results in three areas. When nurses used motivational interviewing in the care of overweight children's experiences as if it gave support, motivation and self-confidence. Some children described lack of support and an insufficient relation with the caregivers. The family together took a greater responsibility in both diet and exercise.

Conclusion:

The result of this study showed that parents and children had mixed feelings about motivational interviewing. There was no conclusion to make about motivational interviewing being an effective treatment method for overweight children. The use of motivational interviewing cannot be dismiss due to the positive feelings that was shown in the result.