Care for overweight children attending the 5-year preventive child health examination in general practice.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to analyse general practitioners' (GPs) care for children with a weight-for-height above normal based on the GPs' clinical evaluation, that is, 'GP-assessed overweight'.


METHODS
This study is a cross-sectional survey targeting GPs' care for children with GP-assessed overweight at the 5-year preventive child health examination (PCHE).


RESULTS
Out of 1135 children attending the 5-year PCHE, 171 were assessed overweight by the GP. According to the Danish body mass index (kg/m(2)) growth charts, 147 children were overweight. The GPs addressed their concern about the child's weight to the parents in 58% of the 171 cases with GP-assessed overweight. The national guideline was reported consulted in 6% of the cases. Diet, physical activity and dispositions were evaluated by the GPs in 68%, 57% and 34% of cases, respectively. An appointment for a follow-up was made in 12% of cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Various care activities were carried out for most children with GP-assessed overweight at the 5-year PCHE. However, the GP did not raise concern about the child's weight with the parents in almost one third of the children. It seems that there is a potential for improving the overweight care at the 5-year PCHE beginning with the involvement of the parents.
Department of Public Health, Section for General Practice, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allè 2, Aarhus, 8000 C, Denmark. mka@alm.au.dk
Merethe Kousgaard
MK
Andersen
Bo
B
Christensen
Jens
J
Søndergaard
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003718:Denmark; D004032:Diet; D037001:Directive Counseling; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D050177:Overweight / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010290:Parents; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires