Impact of an American Board of Pediatrics Maintenance of Certification (MOC) on Weight-related Counseling at Well-Child Check-Ups

Childhood obesity affects over 12.5 million children in the US [1]. Obese children are more likely to have poor metabolic profiles compared to their normal-weight peers [2,3]. Over their lifetimes, obese children are also at greater risk of chronic obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer [4,5]. Childhood is an important stage during which to intervene, as it is a sensitive period for developing eating, physical activity, and screen time patterns [6,7]. The United States Department of Agriculture recommends that children consume 1-2 cups of fruits and 1-3 cups of vegetables daily, but only 40% of children meet the fruit consumption recommendation and 7% of children eat sufficient quantities of vegetables [8].
Source: Patient Education and Counseling - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Source Type: research