Identification of Preferred Healthy Weight Counseling Approaches for Children in the Dental Setting

J Clin Pediatr Dent. 2018;42(6):414-421. doi: 10.17796/1053-4625-42.6.2. Epub 2018 Aug 7.

Abstract

Objective: There is a gap in the literature regarding optimal methods for the dental team to help address the childhood obesity epidemic; accordingly, this investigation sought to identify preferred communication approaches the dental team can rely upon to initiate dialogue with caregivers regarding the weight of their children.

Study design: A structured interview guide containing seven potential Healthy Weight Counseling (HWC) approaches and eight follow up questions was developed, pilot-tested, revised and utilized as a structured interview guide. Interviews were conducted at the Children's Clinic at the School of Dentistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) with 50 participants who are English-speaking caregivers of children ages 4-12.

Results: Ninety-four percent of the participants were receptive to HWC in the dental setting. Caregivers indicated varying levels of acceptance for the seven HWC-approaches based on specific word choices in each approach. Sixty percent preferred HWC to be delivered with the child not present while 34% preferred the child's presence and 6% had no preference.

Conclusions: Caregivers were open to weight-related conversations in the dental setting but to be well received, the dental team must choose their approach carefully and establish the proper doctor/patient relationship prior to HWC delivery. An individualized HWC-approach tailored to the specific needs of each family is indicated.

Keywords: caregivers; childhood obesity; dental education; dentists; healthy-weight counseling; parental perceptions.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Caregivers / education
  • Caregivers / psychology
  • Child
  • Counseling / methods*
  • Dentist-Patient Relations*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interviews as Topic
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Parents / education
  • Parents / psychology
  • Pediatric Obesity / prevention & control*