Responding to Pediatric Providers’ Perceived Barriers to Adolescent Weight Management

Abstract

Primary care clinics are an ideal setting for early identification and possibly treatment of adolescent obesity. However, despite practice recommendations promoting preventive screening and monitoring of obesity, implementation has been modest. In this study, we interviewed providers to determine barriers to managing pediatric obesity, perceived skill in obesity interventions, and interest in additional training. The sensitivity of weight-related discussions and time were the 2 most significant barriers reported. We designed a brief training program, implemented it within a larger randomized controlled trial, and surveyed providers regarding its utility. The training was satisfactory to attendees and led to reported changes in practice patterns. Providers who received more complete training reported greater ease working with overweight teens and greater confidence that they could motivate teen patients to make healthy lifestyle changes compared with those who received less training. A fairly modest training intervention could improve patient care in the primary care setting.