Conducting a psychosocial and lifestyle assessment as part of an integrated care approach for childhood obesity: experiences, needs and wishes of Dutch healthcare professionals.

BACKGROUND: The causes and consequences of childhood obesity are complex and multifaceted. Therefore, an integrated care approach is required to address weight-related issues and improve children's health, societal participation and quality of life. Conducting a psychosocial and lifestyle assessment is an essential part of an integrated care approach. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences, needs and wishes of healthcare professionals with respect to carrying out a psychosocial and lifestyle assessment of childhood obesity. METHODS: Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with Dutch healthcare professionals, who are responsible for coordinating the support and care for children with obesity (coordinating professionals, 'CPs'). The following topics were addressed in our interviews with these professionals: CPs' experiences of both using childhood obesity assessment tools and their content, and CPs' needs and wishes related to content, circumstances and required competences. The interviews comprised open-ended questions and were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data was analysed using template analyses and complemented with open coding in MAXQDA. RESULTS: Most CPs experienced both developing a trusting relationship with the children and their parents, as well as establishing the right tone when engaging in weight-related conversations as important. CPs indicated that visual materials were helpful in such conversations. All CPs used a supporting assessment tool to conduct the psychosocial and lifestyle assessment but they also indicated that a more optimal tool was desirable. They recognized the need for specific attributes that helped them to carry out these assessments, namely: sufficient knowledge about the complexity of obesity; having an affinity with obesity-related issues; their experience as a CP; using conversational techniques, such as solution-focused counselling and motivational interviewing; peer-to-peer coaching; and finally, maintaining an open-minded, non-stigmatizing stance and harmonizing their attitude with that of the child and their parents. CONCLUSIONS: Alongside the need for a suitable tool for conducting a psychosocial and lifestyle assessment, CPs expressed the need for requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes. Further developing a supporting assessment tool is necessary in order to facilitate CPs and thereby improve the support and care for children with obesity and their families.

Effect of neighbourhood socioeconomic status on overweight and obesity in children 2-15 years of different ethnic groups.

BACKGROUND: Studies on the influence of neighbourhood socioeconomic status (N-SES) on overweight and obesity rates in children from different ethnic backgrounds are scarce. This study investigated the differential effect of N-SES on overweight (including obesity) and obesity prevalence in different ethnic groups, and if N-SES explains ethnic differences in the prevalence of overweight and obesity. DESIGN: A population based study of 109 766 body mass index (BMI) measurements of 86 209 children 2-15 years of Dutch, Turkish, Moroccan and South Asian descent. BMI class was determined with The International Obesity Task Force, and South Asian specific BMI cut-offs. WHO BMI criteria were applied for reference purposes. The effect of N-SES on prevalence rates was studied with generalized linear mixed models. RESULTS: Neighbourhood SES was negatively associated with overweight and obesity. However, the effect of N-SES on overweight was stronger in Dutch children (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.73-0.77) than in Turkish (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.82-0.90), Moroccan (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.86-0.97) and South Asian (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.84-0.96) children. The influence of N-SES on obesity showed a similar pattern, except for Moroccan children in whom obesity prevalence remained stable over the whole N-SES range. At the same N-SES, overweight and obesity prevalence was significantly higher in Turkish, Moroccan and especially South Asian children compared with Dutch children. Adjusting for N-SES attenuated the ethnic differences. CONCLUSIONS: Neighbourhood SES was negatively associated with overweight and obesity rates in all ethnic groups, but only partly explained the ethnic differences in overweight and obesity prevalence.