Medical nutrition therapy for overweight youth in their medical home: the KIDPOWER experience.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the feasibility and impact of implementing a standardized medical nutrition therapy (MNT) protocol to treat overweight children in their medical home. Primary outcomes evaluated were changes in eating behaviors, television habits, and weight status.


METHODS
A MNT protocol with handouts (known as KIDPOWER) was delivered by a registered dietitian (RD) to overweight children (2-20 years) in 9 primary care practices in a rural community. A medical record review yielded height, weight and selected patient/parent reported eating and TV behaviors from each MNT visit. Mean values were compared by paired samples t-tests. Changes in behaviors and BMI z score were compared using repeated measures ANOVA.


RESULTS
For patients with at least three MNT visits (n=109) significant improvements in eating and TV viewing habits were seen by the third visit. Weight status, as determined by a significant decline in mean BMI z score, was improved.


CONCLUSIONS
The KIDPOWER protocol delivered by a RD in the pediatric medical home aided overweight youth in making behavior changes that positively impacted their weight status.


CONCLUSIONS
Reimbursement to RDs for treating childhood obesity is improving and KIDPOWER provides a model and tools for community practice.
Henes
Sarah T
ST
Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Pediatric Healthy Weight Research and Treatment Center, Department of Pediatrics, Greenville, NC 27834, USA. heness@ecu.edu
Collier
David N
DN
Morrissey
Susan L
SL
Cummings
Doyle M
DM
Kolasa
Kathryn M
KM
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina; D050177:Overweight / Q000178:diet therapy*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult