Nursing care of overweight children: A concept analysis.

Abstract

To report an analysis of the concept nursing care of overweight children. Patient care is the essence of nursing practice. Nursing professionals must define how to serve specific population groups, including overweight children, presenting real solutions to their problem. A clear conceptual analysis is necessary to unify nursing language and to contribute to nursing practice. Concept analysis. The following databases were searched: COCHRANE, SCOPUS, LILACS, CINAHL, MEDLINE/PubMed, and CAPES Theses Library of Brazil. Walker and Avant's concept analysis methodology was adopted in this study. Twenty-two articles were analyzed, and the uses, attributes, antecedents, and outcomes of the concept were identified. The nursing care assumptions proposed by Virginia Henderson comprised the theoretical referential. The attributes of nursing care for overweight children included investigation, guidance, and monitoring of dietary, clinical, academic, and social aspects, along with evaluation of lifestyle and anthropometric data related to the affected children and their families. This study enabled the construction of a defined concept for nursing care of overweight children that may be useful in the construction of a medium-range theory. Further research is recommended to verify the usefulness of the nursing approach.