Assessing Implementation of Clinic-Community Partnerships Treating Pediatric Obesity

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Implementation Science
• Pediatric Obesity

Background:

• Intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment (IHBLT) is effective for youth obesity but lacks accessibility.
• The Fit Together model integrates healthcare with parks and recreation for IHBLT delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the implementation and effectiveness of the Fit Together IHBLT clinic-community model.
• To assess the uptake, partnership characteristics, and program delivery of Fit Together.

Main Methods:

• Hybrid type 3 implementation-effectiveness design across eight North Carolina counties (2016-2021).
• Provided implementation support including manuals, training, technical assistance, and financial aid.
• Collected data on partnership, program delivery, participant engagement, lifestyle habits, quality of life, and BMI.

Main Results:

• Fit Together was implemented in all eight locations within 5-18 months.
• 1193 youth with obesity were referred; 20% attended at least one session.
• Each additional session attended was associated with a decline in BMI percentile (β = -0.12, p = 0.06).

Conclusions:

• The Fit Together model demonstrates feasibility for delivery in diverse settings and engagement of priority populations.
• The model successfully delivered IHBLT in various community locations.
• Further research is needed to test scalability and dissemination strategies for clinic-community models in child obesity treatment.