Pediatric Nurse Practitioners' Assessment and Management of Childhood Overweight/Obesity: Results from 1999 and 2005 Cohort Surveys

Introduction: Recently, public and professional emphasis has been placed on addressing the increasing prevalence of childhood overweight. Method: This survey study was conducted with two cohorts of pediatric nurse practitioners (N = 413) to explore differences in self-reported practice skills over time. Results: Significant improvements in assessment, screening, and laboratory evaluations were reported, although reduced adherence to recommended psychosocial assessments was noted. Discussion: This study outlines self-reported barriers to effective childhood weight management. One support that participants requested was evidence-based guidelines. Motivational interviewing may be an additional strategy to enhance provider skills to assess and manage challenging patient behavior change (e. g., dietary and activity changes). J Pediatr Health Care. (2009) 23, 231-241.