Development of a Comprehensive Primary Care Algorithm to Manage Children Who Are Overweight or Obese
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Date Created
5-2023
Abstract
Childhood obesity is an epidemic that continues to increase not only in the United States but also worldwide. For children aged 5-19 years, being overweight is considered a body mass index greater than one standard deviation above the growth reference median and obesity is defined as excess body fat that contributes to functional loss and life-threatening comorbidities. The literature indicated that previous population-based obesity prevention efforts have only been moderately successful and might not reflect the complex needs and preferences of some children and families. Thus, there was a need for individualized interventions that supported children who are overweight or obese in developing healthier practices that persist into adulthood. Primary care providers administer everything from prenatal to end-of-life care and are in a key position to monitor the health and wellbeing of children. However, many primary care providers serving pediatric populations lack a flexible set of guidelines to inform their care of children who are overweight or obese. Having a systematic yet localized approach might streamline the intervention process and improve patient outcomes. Clinical tools such as algorithms might guide providers toward evidence-based interventions and utilization of local services. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice scholarly project was to develop and evaluate a treatment algorithm for children identified as being overweight or obese designed for use in the primary care setting using published evidence and a panel of clinical experts. Using the Delphi method, a panel of nine clinical experts provided feedback on increasingly refined drafts of a iv proposed algorithm. The Stetler (2001) model was utilized as a theoretical framework throughout the project. After two rounds of feedback and revisions, broad consensus among the panel was achieved. Findings from this scholarly project also included a proposal for future pilot testing of the final draft algorithm in a family practice or pediatric clinical setting.
Keywords
childhood obesity; obese; epidemic; comorbidities; intervention; algorithm
Rights Statement
Copyright is held by the author.
Recommended Citation
Almeida-Trujillo, Erika LeAnn, "Development of a Comprehensive Primary Care Algorithm to Manage Children Who Are Overweight or Obese" (2023). Capstones & Scholarly Projects. 118.
https://digscholarship.unco.edu/capstones/118