Do physicians discuss needed diet and nutrition health topics with adolescents?
Klein JD; Postle CK; Kreipe RE; Smith SM; McIntosh S; Spada J; Ossip-Klein D Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York, USA. jonathan_klein@urmc.rochester.edu PURPOSE: Preventive services guidelines recommend screening all adolescents for diet habits, physical activity and growth, counseling underweight teens about body image and dieting patterns, and counseling overweight or obese teens about dietary habits and exercise. In this study, we assess whether adolescents at risk for overweight or for eating disorders have discussed recommended diet and nutrition topics with their physicians. METHODS: We surveyed 14-18-year-old adolescents who had been seen for well care in primary care pediatric and family medicine practices. Adolescents self-reported their weight, height, body image, dieting habits, and issues they had discussed with their clinicians. Body mass index (BMI) was used to define those “at risk for an eating disorder” ( 95% BMI).
