Designing a Healthy Lifestyle Assessment and Resource Referral System Within Pediatric Primary Care Settings.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-2026

Identifier

DOI: 10.1123/jpah.2025-0497

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Approximately 1 in 5 US children have obesity. Primary care-based screening for healthy lifestyle behaviors is one way to identify children at risk of having obesity and related consequences; however, providers often lack tools to connect patients and families to obesity prevention. Our study sought to identify essential elements of an electronic health record-based screening and community referral system to help pediatric patients meet physical activity and nutrition guidelines.

METHODS: Our mixed-methods study was conducted at a large, academic pediatric medical center in a Midwestern, US city. Qualitative data included in-depth interviews with health care workers (n = 17), focus groups with community organizations (n = 15), parents and guardians of pediatric patients (n = 9), and a bioinformatics team (n = 5). Data informed a subsequent survey with health care providers (n = 40). Multiple data collection methods and participant types triangulated findings.

RESULTS: Participants indicated that a screening-referral system would need to be trusted, sustainable, and tailored. Screening should be anchored in a nonjudgmental conversation, streamlined and time efficient, and offer options that cater to individual circumstances and needs. Referrals to community resources would need to be sourced from a comprehensive and high-quality database, tailored to individuals' preferences, and kept up to date.

CONCLUSIONS: Overall, participants believed a system to facilitate community referrals for physical activity and nutrition would be valuable, and suggested ways to maximize acceptability. Our study explored a way to link pediatric patients to community resources to better meet physical activity and nutrition recommendations and guides future innovations to improve obesity-related lifestyle risk factors.

Journal Title

J Phys Act Health

Volume

23

Issue

11

First Page

1575

Last Page

1585

MeSH Keywords

Humans; Primary Health Care; Referral and Consultation; Child; Female; Healthy Lifestyle; Male; Exercise; Focus Groups; Pediatric Obesity; Electronic Health Records; Qualitative Research; Mass Screening; Pediatrics

PubMed ID

42501979

Keywords

nutrition; pediatrics; physical activity assessment; primary care; qualitative

Comments

Grants and funding

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