Physician Practices for Childhood Obesity Prevention
Author Information
Author(s): Wethington Holly R, Sherry Bettylou, Polhamus Barbara
Primary Institution: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
Hypothesis
Pediatricians will screen and counsel more than general practitioners regarding childhood obesity.
Conclusion
Only 50% of pediatricians and 22% of general practitioners reported using BMI-for-age to screen for obesity at every well child visit.
Supporting Evidence
- 50% of pediatricians use BMI-for-age at every well child visit compared to 22% of general practitioners.
- 94% of pediatricians are confident in explaining BMI results compared to 87% of general practitioners.
- 65% of pediatricians have access to a pediatric obesity specialty clinic compared to 42% of general practitioners.
Takeaway
Doctors need to check kids' weights more often and talk to them about healthy habits to help prevent obesity.
Methodology
The study used data from the 2008 DocStyles survey to examine BMI-for-age screening and counseling practices among pediatricians and general practitioners.
Potential Biases
Volunteer selection bias may affect the representativeness of the sample.
Limitations
The sample may not be representative due to potential volunteer bias and low response rates.
Participant Demographics
The majority of respondents were male and non-Hispanic white, with most having over 10 years of practice.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p ≤ 0.01
Confidence Interval
95% CI = 1.5-3.5
Statistical Significance
p ≤ 0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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