Purpose: This study describes school-based health center (SBHC) providers' adherence to obesity guidelines.
Design and methods: Providers (n = 28) were from SBHCs in six states serving children 5-12 years of age. A random sample of well-child charts (n = 850) were audited for body mass index percentage, blood pressure percentage, overweight/obesity diagnosis, and laboratory assessment.
Results: Body mass index percentage was documented on 73% of charts and blood pressure percentage on 30.5%. Providers accurately diagnosed 40% overweight and 49.3% obese children. Laboratory guidelines were followed in 80.4% of cases. Assessments differed by child's race/ethnicity (p < .05), with most criteria having higher adherence in minority youth.
Practice implications: There is a need for increased accuracy in how SBHC providers screen overweight/obese children.
Keywords: Childhood obesity; health disparity; obesity guideline; overweight/obese child; school-based health center.
© 2015, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.