Documentation and management of paediatric obesity: Evidence from a paediatric inpatient unit

Abstract

IntroductionThe 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.