Question

A mother has taken her son to the health care provider for a physical and immunizations. The nurse states the 11-year-old boy is overweight according to the CDC guidelines. The mother is concerned about how to approach this matter. How should the nurse manage this situation?

Please answer this question in no less than 300 words.

Answer 1

cdc defines Overweight as BMI at or above the 85^th percentile & below the 95^th percentile for children and teens of the same age or sex.

Obesity results from a caloric intake that consistently exceeds caloric requirements and expenditure and may involve a variety of interrelated influences including, hypothalamic, hereditary, social, cultural and psychological factors. Obesity in childhood and adolescence has been related to elevated blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, respiratory disorders, orthopedic conditions, cholelithiasis, some types of adult onset cancers, non alcoholic fatty liver disease & type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The best approach to the management of obesity is preventive one.

Recommended Behaviours for Preventing Obesity:

• limit consumption of sugar sweetened beverages
• Consume recommended quantities of fruits and vegetables
• Limit screen time to no more than 2hours per day
• Remove television and computer screens from primary sleeping areas
• eat breakfast daily
• Limit eating at restaurants
• Have frequently family meals in which parents and youth eat together
• Limit portion size.

Nursing Care includes:

1. Nutritional Counseling - it incorporates health behaviour theories to help motivate and maintsma behaviour change. The steps include:

• Assessment ( explain and conduct assessment of : weight, height, BMI, Dietary intake, activity, eating behaviour)
• Set agenda
• Assess motivation and confidence
• Summarize and probe possible changes
• Schedule followup visit

2. Behavioural therapy: altering eating behaviour and eliminating inappropriate eating habits are essential to weight reduction, especially in maintaining long term weight control.

3. Group involemnt: these group involvement are concerned not only with weight loss, but also with the Development of a positive self image and the encouragement of physical activity

4. Family involvement: the family needs nutrition education and counseling regarding the reinforcement plan, alterations in the food environment and ways to maintain proper attitudes.

​​​​​​​5. Physical activity: recommendation is to participate in a combined total of 60 minutes of physical activity daily. Regular physical activity is incorporated into all weight refucreduprograms.