Despite pediatric guidelines recommending primary screening for pediatric obesity, a recent study by University of California, San Francisco researchers shows that overweight teenagers are being missed. Further, screening rates for physical activity, nutrition, and emotional distress declined between 2003 and 2007.
The study, "The Association of BMI Status with Adolescent Preventive Screening," in the August 2011 issue of Pediatrics (published online July 18), used data from a California population-based survey from 2003-2007 to determine whether adolescents aged 12 to 17 years received preventive screening for physical activity, nutrition and emotional distress. Two findings were striking:
- Obese teens were more likely to be screened than normal weight teens (64 percent vs. 59 percent for physical activity; 63 percent vs. 58 percent for nutrition; and 23.6 percent vs. 23 percent for emotional distress). But teens who were overweight but not obese - the ones who could benefit the most from screening - did not have higher screening rates than normal weight teens.
- Screening rates for all areas - activity, nutrition, and emotional distress - declined between 2003 and 2007. Screening for emotional distress was lowest of all, with less than ΒΌ of teens reporting screening at their last visit.
The authors note that until pediatricians have the training, tools, reimbursement, and time to offer these services, screening rates will remain sub-par.
