Assessment of Obese Children within a Family-Based Intervention Pilot Study

Abstract

About one third of children in the United States are overweight or obese. Multiple comorbidities coincide with obesity affecting children physically and emotionally, which in turn impacts obese children’s quality of life. Despite the increased prevalence and negative consequences of pediatric obesity, few evidence-based practice or generalizable assessment tools exist. The purpose of this project is to transition a generalizable, evidence-based pediatric obesity assessment tool from research into practice in a local pediatric obesity program which can later be utilized in primary care in order to implement early intervention with obese children.

The pediatric obesity specific quality of life measurements for children and their parents, “Sizing Me Up” and “Sizing Them Up,” were presented to two providers with clinical expertise from a local family-based obesity intervention outpatient program. These specific measurements, along with height, weight, BMI, and readiness for change assessment, were utilized by the providers at the beginning and end of the 10-week program consisting of 10 families. Evaluation of the assessment tool was conducted through a Likert Scale survey of the providers to determine the utilization, ease, and difficulty of use of the pediatric obesity assessment tool.

The providers evaluated the tool as having quality utilization, good clinical battery, and ease of implementation. Therefore the tool is ready for implementation into primary care. By transitioning an evidence-based pediatric obesity assessment tool from research into practice, advanced practice nurses will be able to more accurately and fully assess obese children so that interventions can be implemented expeditiously.