Using Parks and Recreation Providers to Enhance Obesity Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/doi/10.1542/peds.2024-068427/200947/Using-Parks-and-Recreation-Providers-to-Enhance?autologincheck=redirected A local clinic tries to address pediatric weight loss Almost two years ago, my colleague Isa Cueto wrote a characteristically thoughtful feature about a 9-year-old girl, LR, who went weekly to a weight loss clinic in Los Angeles. LR was getting the type of intensive lifestyle treatment with doctors, dieticians, and counselors that the AAP recommended earlier that year for basically any kid with higher weight. But there are only a few clinics like these in the country, which means they’re both expensive and hard to get into — LR was on the waitlist for a year at the clinic she eventually attended. In an effort to address disparities in access, a study published today in Pediatrics examines the effectiveness of a similar program created in partnership with a local parks and recreation department. In Durham, NC, kids had monthly visits at a pediatric clinic to meet with doctors, dieticians, counselors, and more. They also visited a local rec center around twice a week for physical activity and nutrition programming. The study enrolled 255 kids and their families for six-month intervals between 2018 and 2021. A majority of the kids were either Hispanic or Black. Kids who participated saw significant decreases in BMI relative to the 95th percentile when compared to the control group, but no improvement when it came to submaximal heart rate, which suggests that the programs did not improve fitness. For groups that transitioned to telehealth and online fitness sessions during the pandemic, there was no difference in BMI or heart rate between the intervention and control groups. The results show how challenging this type of care can be. I encourage you to revisit Isa’s profile and the story we wrote together about the AAP guidelines on pediatric weight loss. ‘That scares me’: New childhood obesity guidelines still face a long road to consensus Isabella Cueto Theresa Gaffney By Isabella Cueto and Theresa Gaffney https://www.statnews.com/2023/03/20/childhood-obesity-guidelines-eating-disorders-data-concerns/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9_TFx--Xd2qCULMNUeZlxnD6pP7i4nS3QEuXsQf7CETKw_g3H238zjlwuEriNcCjHYccxUouHm7Tfk2TiU5z7MCQUPjQ&_hsmi=346446342&utm_content=346446342&utm_source=hs_email For a 9-year-old patient at a Los Angeles obesity clinic, barriers to health are everywhere Isabella Cueto By Isabella Cueto https://www.statnews.com/2023/07/17/healthy-weight-clinic-children-obesity-barriers/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8ubX0cxclfTtGcz7Q-xMiFCPzoBnXKKz9mMY8ON915lJPHprTv1paSzaAcBJ2mXc_AFIbdmGTvpAli__TvlLsadtVEKQ&_hsmi=346446342&utm_content=346446342&utm_source=hs_email