Retrospective Study of the Incidence of Missed Opportunities in Identifying, Managing and Referring at-Risk of Overweight and Overweight Children and Adolescents in an Outpatient Primary Care Setting

A descriptive study of the incidence of missed opportunities in identifying, managing and referring children and adolescents at-risk of overweight and overweight were conducted using a retrospective chart review of two Midwest, suburban, private outpatient primary care clinics. Of the 208 medical records reviewed, the incidence of at- risk of overweight (BMI-for-age less than or equal 85% < 95%) in children and adolescents was 8.8% and 9.4%, respectively. The overweight (BMI-for-age greater than or equal 95%) prevalence rate for each group was 14.7% and 17.9%, respectively. None of the 19 children or adolescents with a calculated BMI-for-age as at-risk for overweight was identified by the HCP with an ICD 9-CM code for obesity or abnormal weight gain in the medical record. Of the 34 subjects with a calculated BMI-for-age as overweight, 40% of children (n = 6) and 42% of adolescents (n = 8) were identified by the HCP as overweight as evidenced by a diagnosis of obesity or abnormal weight in the medical record. None of the children or adolescents at- risk of overweight received a referral for nutrition or psychological counseling or specialty care. Twenty-three of the 53 children and adolescents identified as being at-risk of overweight or overweight also had a chronic medical condition. Of these 23, only two children with Reactive Airway Disease were given referrals to nutritional medicine.Air Force Inst of Tech Wright-Patterson AFB OH is the author of 'Retrospective Study of the Incidence of Missed Opportunities in Identifying, Managing and Referring at-Risk of Overweight and Overweight Children and Adolescents in an Outpatient Primary Care Setting', published 2004 under ISBN 9781423516859 and ISBN 1423516850.