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Documentation and management of paediatric obesity: Evidence from a paediatric inpatient unit
Hemani Sharma1, Anthony Liu2, Muhammad Aziz Rahman3
1Department of Paediatrics, Nepean Hospital, Derby St, Kingswood, NSW 2750, Australia.
Insights
Paediatric overweight and obesity are prevalent in Australia. This study found that hospital admissions offer a key opportunity for clinicians to identify and manage these children, though current documentation and intervention rates are low.
Area of Science:
- Paediatric health
- Obesity research
- Clinical documentation
Background:
- The global obesity epidemic significantly impacts child health, with 25% of Australian children being overweight or obese.
- Children with obesity access medical services more frequently, making hospital admissions crucial touchpoints for intervention.
- Existing research lacks objective data on clinician recognition, documentation, and management of overweight/obesity in paediatric inpatients.
Discussion:
- This study quanties the prevalence and clinical features of overweight/obesity in a non-tertiary paediatric setting.
- It measures the rate at which clinicians identify, document, and initiate weight management for these children.
- Findings highlight a gap between the opportunity for intervention and current clinical practice.
Key Insights:
- Overweight and obesity are common among children admitted to non-tertiary paediatric units.
- Clinician recognition and documentation of paediatric overweight/obesity are inconsistent.
- Initiation of weight management strategies during hospital stays is infrequent.
Outlook:
- Improving clinician training and implementing standardized protocols can enhance identification and management of paediatric overweight/obesity.
- Further research should explore effective, scalable interventions for inpatient settings.
- Addressing paediatric obesity during hospital admissions can contribute to long-term health improvements.
Introduction:
The obesity epidemic is a worldwide phenomenon.1 In Australia, the prevalence of paediatric overweight or obesity is 25%.2 Children with obesity present to medical services more frequently than children with a healthy weight.3 Therefore, any hospital admission is an opportunity for clinicians to identify and manage children with overweight or obesity. Previous research has not objectively measured how frequently clinicians document a child as being above the healthy weight range and initiate weight management strategies. This study addresses this gap in the literature by demonstrating the prevalence rate and clinical characteristics of children with overweight/obesity in a non-tertiary paediatric inpatient unit and measuring the rate of clinician recognition, documentation, and initiation of weight management strategies.
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