Document Type
DNP Project
Department
School of Nursing
Date of Degree
Spring 2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Primary Advisor
Dr. Mercedes Echevarria
Keywords
pediatric obesity, body mass index, primary health care
Abstract
Background: Childhood obesity is one of the biggest issues within the pediatric population affecting over 100 million children nationally (Marcus, et al., 2022). More than 15% of all children in the United States fall into the obesity category given their weight and BMI (Sanyaolu, et al, 2019). Exercise and dietary modifications have always been accepted to aid in weight loss and improved health outcomes. Studies have shown that both exercise and dietary modifications can make a huge impact on a patient’s weight but also have a positive effect on their overall mental health as well (Jebeile, et al., 2019).
Objectives: This project focused on enhancing health outcomes and reducing long-term complications of childhood obesity in pediatric primary care (ages 10–17). The four primary objectives were:
(1) BMI reduction in children of participating parents, (2) increase dietary knowledge in participating parents, (3) increase physical activity engagement in participating households, and (4) community resource awareness: All caregivers will gain knowledge of local community resources and opportunities for engagement with grocery stores to support healthy habits.
Methods: A group of caregivers were recruited to participate in a pre-and post-study design that was used to determine the effectiveness of community and family-based curricula on family households. Participants were asked to complete surveys before receiving the curriculum and after completing the program to determine if there was an increase in awareness/knowledge regarding healthy dietary habits and physical activity behaviors. This curriculum was delivered by two pediatric health care providers in the primary care setting.
Results: A total of 20 caregivers participated, and across the 24-question survey, there was an increase in mean scores on each question. Notably, 100% of participants report awareness of community resources available following the completion of the program. scores had an increase of 0.05-0.75 between questions and there was an average of 1.31 kg/m decrease in BMI.
Conclusion: There was a direct impact on increased knowledge amongst all participants regarding healthy dietary habits and physical activity behaviors after receiving the curriculum. Participating parents/caregivers reported an increase in healthy dietary choices and an improvement of regular physical activity behaviors within their household after completion of the program.
Copyright Notice
© 2025 Randi Bouchillon. All rights reserved.
Recommended Citation
Bouchillon, R. (2025). Implementing The We Can! Energize Our Families: Curriculum for Parents and Caregivers in the Primary Care Setting. , (). Retrieved from https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/son_dnp/164
Open Access
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