Name
Chamberlain University
NR-505: Advanced Research Methods: Evidence-Based Practice
Prof. Name
Date
In young children from birth to five years old, does early education about healthy eating and exercise provided to both parents and the child, compared to education offered only to parents before the child’s birth, lead to healthier weight outcomes as measured during routine well-child visits over a five-year period?
Full Reference
Sjunnestrand, M., Nordin, K., Eli, K., Nowicka, P., & Ek, A. (2019, November 9). Planting a seed—Child health care nurses’ perceptions of speaking to parents about overweight and obesity: A qualitative study within the STOP project. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7852-4
This study aimed to explore how child health care (CHC) nurses perceive their role in addressing childhood obesity, particularly their interactions and conversations with parents.
Qualitative
The study targeted CHC nurses in Stockholm County. Out of 442 nurses who were invited via email, a group participated in interviews.
Data were collected through face-to-face and telephone interviews.
Two significant themes emerged: (1) the importance of establishing trust and rapport between nurses and parents, and (2) systemic limitations that hinder effective obesity prevention.
The study lacked in-depth detail regarding long-term outcomes and was limited to a specific geographic area.
The findings highlight the critical role of relationship-building between healthcare professionals and families in obesity prevention. Nurses must foster trust to effectively engage parents in early weight management strategies.
Full Reference
Sastre, L. R., Matson, S., Gruber, K. J., & Halderman, L. (2019, February 28). A qualitative study examining medical provider advice, barriers, and perceived effectiveness in addressing childhood obesity to patients and families from a low-income community health clinic. SAGE Open Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312119834117
The study investigated medical providers’ perspectives on addressing childhood obesity, particularly in low-income and ethnically diverse communities.
Qualitative
The study was conducted across three community clinics serving primarily low-income families. The clinics served about 56,000 patients annually. A previous review revealed that 43% of children (n = 2951) were overweight or obese.
Interview transcripts were coded and analyzed through content analysis and open coding techniques. Themes were categorized around three major issues: starting weight conversations, counseling practices, and barriers.
Most providers were comfortable discussing weight issues by age two. The focus was largely on physical activity, while nutrition was less emphasized. Parents and home environments were seen as the strongest influences on children’s behavior. Barriers included parental resistance, cultural attitudes, time constraints, and language differences.
Despite valuable insights, the study was limited in its ability to provide solutions for overcoming systemic barriers to weight management.
Providers recognized the importance of early weight discussions but faced challenges with parental engagement. Advanced practice nurses must develop culturally sensitive, family-centered approaches for effective obesity prevention.
Full Reference
Hagman, E., Danielsson, P., Brandt, L., Svensson, V., Ekbom, A., & Marcus, C. (2017, July 8). Childhood obesity, obesity treatment outcome, and achieved education: A prospective cohort study. Journal of Adolescent Health. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.05.008
The study examined whether childhood obesity impacts educational attainment and how obesity treatment influences academic achievement in early adulthood.
Mixed methods (quantitative and observational cohort)
Data were obtained from the Swedish Childhood Obesity Treatment Registry, involving 1,465 participants.
Prospective cohort data were collected and compared with national statistics.
Childhood obesity was strongly associated with lower educational attainment in early adulthood. Treatment interventions were shown to positively influence both weight outcomes and academic achievement.
The study was geographically limited to Sweden and may not be generalizable globally.
This study reinforces that early interventions for obesity not only affect physical health but also contribute to improved educational opportunities, underlining the long-term societal benefits of prevention.
Full Reference
Isong, I. A., Rao, S. R., Bind, M.-A., Avendaño, M., Kawachi, I., & Richmond, T. K. (2018, January 1). Racial and ethnic disparities in early childhood obesity. Pediatrics, 141(1), e20170865. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-0865
This research explored racial and ethnic disparities in childhood obesity and identified socioeconomic and behavioral risk factors that contribute to these disparities.
Longitudinal study
Data were drawn from 10,700 participants in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Birth Cohort.
Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition analyses were conducted to assess how various factors contributed to BMI disparities among racial groups.
Risk factors for obesity varied significantly across racial and ethnic groups. African American children displayed the highest prevalence, while Asian children showed the lowest. Socioeconomic conditions and maternal influences were strong predictors.
The study’s reliance on self-reported measures may affect accuracy.
Addressing disparities requires culturally informed interventions. Nurses must tailor health education and prevention strategies to specific community needs.
Full Reference
Salvy, S.-J., de la Haye, K., Galama, T., & Goran, M. I. (2016, December 2). Home visitation programs: An untapped opportunity for the delivery of early childhood obesity prevention. Obesity Reviews, 18(2), 149–163. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12482
This concept paper proposed home visitation programs as a strategy for preventing obesity from infancy through early childhood.
Conceptual/theoretical review
Not applicable (conceptual framework study).
The paper synthesized evidence from previous intervention models and public health reports.
Home visitation can be an effective early intervention tool by providing personalized support to families and fostering healthy behaviors from birth.
Theoretical in nature—lacking empirical testing or trial data.
Home-based interventions could be integrated into existing community health structures, enabling nurses to support families before unhealthy patterns are established.
| Article | Purpose | Evidence Type | Sample & Setting | Key Findings | Limitations | Relevance to PICOT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explore CHC nurses’ perspectives on obesity discussions | Qualitative | 442 CHC nurses, Stockholm | Rapport and systemic issues affect obesity prevention | Lacked depth | Nurse-parent trust essential |
| 2 | Providers’ views on obesity in low-income families | Qualitative | 3 clinics, 56,000 patients/year | Early weight talks, parental/home influence key | Barriers: time, culture, language | Family-centered approaches needed |
| 3 | Link between childhood obesity & education | Mixed | 1,465 Swedish participants | Obesity linked to lower education | Limited generalizability | Early intervention improves health & education |
| 4 | Disparities in childhood obesity | Longitudinal | 10,700 children | Risks vary by race/ethnicity | Reliance on self-report | Culturally tailored nursing strategies |
| 5 | Home visitation programs for prevention | Conceptual | Not applicable | Early prevention via home visits | Theoretical, no trials | Nurses can integrate home-based prevention |
Hagman, E., Danielsson, P., Brandt, L., Svensson, V., Ekbom, A., & Marcus, C. (2017). Childhood obesity, obesity treatment outcome, and achieved education: A prospective cohort study. Journal of Adolescent Health, 61(6), 691–698. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.05.008
Isong, I. A., Rao, S. R., Bind, M.-A., Avendaño, M., Kawachi, I., & Richmond, T. K. (2018). Racial and ethnic disparities in early childhood obesity. Pediatrics, 141(1), e20170865. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-0865
Salvy, S.-J., de la Haye, K., Galama, T., & Goran, M. I. (2016). Home visitation programs: An untapped opportunity for the delivery of early childhood obesity prevention. Obesity Reviews, 18(2), 149–163. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12482
Sastre, L. R., Matson, S., Gruber, K. J., & Halderman, L. (2019). A qualitative study examining medical provider advice, barriers, and perceived effectiveness in addressing childhood obesity to patients and families from a low-income community health clinic. SAGE Open Medicine, 7. https://doi.org/10.1177/2050312119834117
Sjunnestrand, M., Nordin, K., Eli, K., Nowicka, P., & Ek, A. (2019). Planting a seed—Child health care nurses’ perceptions of speaking to parents about overweight and obesity: A qualitative study within the STOP project. BMC Public Health, 19(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7852-4
