Training and Education

COAT’s training and educational efforts have focused on enhancing the skill set of individual providers and on system-wide changes in primary care practices.

Quality improvement activities with primary care practices: Learning collaboratives

Based on the new American Medical Association’s (AMA) staging of obesity treatment, primary care providers are expected to offer care at stage 1 (obesity prevention in well child visits) and stage 2 (structured weight management for overweight and obese children).

Since 2005, COAT members have organized activities with primary care practices designed to help physicians prevent and manage obesity. Such activities have included the Small Steps to Health and the Children’s Health Improvement collaboratives.

Pediatric Weight Management workshops: Skills and resources for providers

Pediatric Weight Management is a half-day interactive skills development workshop for providers. It provides tools and techniques for identifying and managing pediatric overweight and obesity.

Pediatric experts from the fields of medicine, nutrition, psychology, fitness and health address:

  • Healthy feeding relationships
  • Recommendations for weight goals for children and adolescents, as well as appetite and mood regulation
  • Normalizing and improving physical activity and food intake to support weight goals
  • Assessment of readiness for change
  • Motivational interviewing and counseling skills
  • Practical approaches at different developmental stages
  • The provider’s role in a community-based multifaceted management model

To date, COAT has offered four Pediatric Weight Management workshops. Pre- and post-workshop surveys showed an increase in providers’ capacity and comfort in working with families who are trying to make lifestyle changes and in the use of motivational coaching techniques.

COAT plans to offer an updated training, which includes the new AMA recommendations, in 2008.

Other education:

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