Child & Adolescent Weight Management: Behavioral & Medical Approaches

Every Friday, 8:00 – 9:00AM

About one in three children in Illinois ages 6-17 are considered overweight or obese (National Survey of Children’s Health, 2023). Pediatric weight management is complex, influenced by genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors as well as social determinants of health. Youth from underserved and low-income communities are disproportionately affected, often facing limited access to healthy food, safe environments for physical activity, and consistent medical care. Community-based primary care providers are ideally positioned to lead obesity prevention and treatment efforts, but many report lacking knowledge, tools, and confidence to do so. In 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued their first clinical practice guidelines, building on prior expert panel recommendations (Hampl et al, 2023). The guidelines take a “whole child” approach and outline evidence-based evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents who are overweight and obese. These structured guidelines provide a roadmap for early identification and intervention yet are often underutilized in community practice (Jelalian et al., 2003; Krebs et al., 2007; Rao, 2005; Busch, Hubka, and Lynch, 2018). During this ECHO series, we will talk about both the scope of obesity in Illinois and recommendations for managing weight and conversations about weight in the primary care setting. This series is suitable for all primary care providers who see children and adolescent patients.

Topics for Case-Based Learning and Discussion Include:

• Epidemiology of Child & Adolescent Obesity
• Screening and Assessment in Primary Care
• Stepped approach to treating obesity (overview) / Counseling approach and Motivational Interviewing
• Dietary Counseling
• Mealtime Environment / Family Approach
• Physical activity / Sleep – Behavioral approaches
• More intensive treatments – Medication (GLP1) / Surgery / Specialized Programs
• Psychosocial issues
• Pre-Diabetes (and DM) / Lipids / Endocrine Complications
• Hypertension Diagnosis and Management
• Sleep Apnea