Improving provider obesity management for Latino adolescents through a clinic-community program partnership

Background: Obesity prevalence in children aged 5-19 dramatically rose from 4% in 1975 to over 18% in 2016. Rising obesity rates are linked to adverse health outcomes such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, which disproportionately threaten Latino youth in Texas, where obesity prevalence is higher in Latino children (19%) compared to Caucasian children (10%). Objective: This quality improvement initiative used a clinic-community program partnership and the Pediatric Obesity Algorithm to improve health care providers' obesity management skills, and Latino adolescents’ weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), and healthy behaviors. Method: A before-and-after design was used to facilitate a partnership between a family practice in central Texas and a community outreach program providing a free online coaching exercise program to overweight and obese adolescents referred by their providers. Adolescents screened and diagnosed with overweight, or obesity (n=15) received a 5-2-1-0 Let’s Go! instructional guide, monthly provider visits, pedometer, healthy habits log, and an online access code to the exercise program. Adolescents’ weight, BMI percentile, and self-reported daily health habits log, and providers’ screening and referral rates were collected at baseline and monthly for three months. Results: Post-intervention, adolescents’ weight (p = .003) and BMI (p = .023) decreased and 95% reported improved health habits. Provider obesity screening (100%) and referral (73%) rates also improved. Conclusion: Creating a primary clinic-community resource partnership improved providers’ obesity management, and adolescents’ health habits and significantly decreased weight and BMI for Latino adolescents in this central Texas clinic.