Patient Attendance and Outcomes in a Structured Weight Management Program.
To determine service utilization and identify patient characteristics associated with service utilization in youth with obesity presenting for structured weight management, and to explore weight-related outcomes associated with service utilization.



In this retrospective study conducted between January 2008 and December 2013, we examined variables associated with the care of 2089 patients aged 2-18 years presenting for an initial visit to 2 tertiary care-based, multidisciplinary structured weight management clinics.



Only 53% of patients returned for a second visit, 29% returned for a third visit, and virtually none (0.5%) completed the recommended 6 visits within 6 months. Patients who were Hispanic, government-insured, and whose parent/s spoke Spanish were more likely to return to clinic. Of those patients who returned for at least a second visit, 70% demonstrated a reduction in or maintenance of body mass index z-score.



Patient retention remains a significant barrier to effective pediatric weight management. Structured weight management programs should increase their efforts to engage patients and families at the initial visit and identify and address barriers to follow up.
Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO; Center for Children's Healthy Lifestyles & Nutrition, Kansas City, MO. Electronic address: shampl@cmh.edu.
Sarah E
SE
Hampl
Center for Children's Healthy Lifestyles & Nutrition, Kansas City, MO; Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.
Kelsey B
KB
Borner
Center for Children's Healthy Lifestyles & Nutrition, Kansas City, MO.
Kelsey M
KM
Dean
Center for Children's Healthy Lifestyles & Nutrition, Kansas City, MO.
Amy E
AE
Papa
Clinical Child Psychology Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS.
Katrina Poppert
KP
Cordts
Department of Pediatrics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS.
T Ryan
TR
Smith
Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO.
Kerri R
KR
Wade
Center for Children's Healthy Lifestyles & Nutrition, Kansas City, MO; Department of Pediatrics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS.
Ann M
AM
Davis
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
attrition; body mass index; obesity