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Tackling the childhood obesity crisis: acute paediatricians are not playing their part
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  • Published on: 18 August 2017
    Tackling the childhood obesity crisis

    I wonder if this brief report by Harvey et al. highlights where we are going wrong. Firstly, the lack of response to the QIP may just reflect the fact that we have such limited ability to influence outcomes when it comes to childhood obesity. If you are working in a busy CAU it seems pointless doing things that are not going to produce a positive outcome.
    However my biggest concern is the statement: "How paediatricians act has a large impact on parents: we cannot expect them to prioritise their child’s obesity if we do not do the same." This appears to be the “nanny state” at work. The fact that parents are not recognising their children’s obesity, if this is really the case given the publicity this topic is receiving, is the main problem. This idea that patients are completely dependent on professionals to bring about change influences the outcome for many chronic conditions. Best results are obtained when patients (and carers) are actively involved in the management of the disease and are equipped to influence outcomes. This can only come about through education.
    My personal experience is that I cannot remember ever seeing an overweight child maintain any significant weight loss. The lack of parental recognition of the fact that their child is overweight is a major problem. I am not sure how long the comment "your child is overweight" stays with parents after they leave the clinic. Do parents feel that an overweight child reflects well on...

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    Conflict of Interest:
    None declared.