Childhood Obesity and Comorbidities

Every Wednesday, 8:00 – 9:00AM

An estimated 32% of children in the U.S. are overweight or obese, with even greater prevalence among children living below the poverty level. Childhood obesity is linked to a number of serious risks and conditions and the problem has received widespread attention in recent years. Unfortunately, effective solutions are scarce. During this ECHO series, we will talk about both the scope of obesity in our country and recommendations for managing weight and conversations about weight in the primary care setting. We will discuss the recommendations for primary care providers put forth by the American Medical Association (AMA) which were divided into subcategories that include: reviewing life style habits, family history, physical examination, and laboratory testing. We will also learn about environmental causes of obesity as well as co-morbidities. This series is suitable for all primary care providers who see children and adolescent patients.

Topics for Case-Based Learning and Discussion Include:

• Practical primary care approaches & scope of the problem
• Common co-morbidities: Hypertension part I, epidemiology
• Common co-morbidities: Hypertension part II, evaluation
• Common co-morbidities: Hypertension part III, treatment
• Common co-morbidities: Hyperlipidemia, impaired glucose metabolism, polycystic ovaries
• Common co-morbidities: Psychosocial problems
• Counseling: Raising and discussing weight with a child and family
• Counseling: Nutrition and physical activity and the 5As Paradigm
• Pharmacotherapy and surgical treatment for obesity in adolescents
• Advocacy for a healthier built environment