title: Provider practice, overweight and associated risk variables among children from a multi-ethnic underserved community.
abstract: Two hundred and eight medical records subdivided into two age groups, < 2 years (n = 49), and two to 17 years (n = 159) were used to assess providers' practice of documentation and intervention for overweight and associated risk variables, among children from a multi-ethnic inner-city population. The Body Mass Index (BMI) and/or weight to height ratio > or = 90th percentile for age and sex were used to define overweight, or at risk for overweight. Documentation for excessive weight and intervention, resident-physician training level, demographics, blood pressure, and cholesterol values were recorded. Overweight was identified in 36% of the pediatric patients. Twenty-nine percent of the affected children were documented, and all but two had an intervention. Exercise, nutritional and/or behavioral counseling were prescribed with nutritional counseling being the most frequent. Blood pressure and cholesterol levels were measured more frequently in overweight children than in normal weight children. Children < two years of age with BMI or weight/height ratios > or = 90th percentile had no documentation or intervention for suspected overweight. We conclude that childhood overweight was highly prevalent, and under-recognized as determined by medical record documentation. Further study is needed to determine effective provider education programs for preventing, detecting and managing overweight during childhood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California, USA.
authors.forename: Joni L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Frederick W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Moshen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bazargan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records / Q000592:standards; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014505:Urban Population