Receipt of Pediatric Weight-Related Counseling and Screening in a National Sample After the Expert Committee Recommendations.
OBJECTIVE
It is uncertain whether children of all weight classifications receive the recommended screening and counseling and if these affect weight status in the subsequent year.


METHODS
Data from the 2008-2011 Medical Expenditures Panel Survey were used to examine associations between weight classification and receipt of weight-related screening and counseling from the pediatric provider (n = 9835). Body mass index (BMI) z-score in the subsequent year was modeled as a function of the BMI z-score in year 1.


RESULTS
Normal and overweight children have lower odds than obese children of receiving counseling regarding diet (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.50-0.68; AOR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.63-0.89, respectively) and exercise (AOR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.48-0.65; AOR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.64-0.89, respectively). Counseling was associated with a small increase in BMI z-score in the subsequent year (β = 0.06, 95% CI = 0.01-0.11), as was maternal weight class.


CONCLUSIONS
Recommendations to focus prevention on the family unit may reduce childhood overweight and obesity.
University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA scmoyce@ucdavis.edu.
Sally C
SC
Moyce
University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA.
Janice F
JF
Bell
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003376:Counseling; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006302:Health Services Research; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
counseling; prevention; primary care; screening