Obesity is affecting children throughout the nation. Approximately 12.5 million have a body mass index (BMI) classifying them as overweight or obese. Rates have been reported to be increasing with each grade level in Texas schools. As a result, these children have an increased risk for developing chronic diseases and decreased quality of life. However, few parents exhibited concerns regarding their child’s BMI associated healh risks. Through collaboration with the staff of a family practice clinic and the staff of a nearby school; we were able to implement a health-promotion/disease-prevention (HP/DP) project that focused on decreasing the prevalence of overweight and obesity among children eleven to eighteen year of age. The Stetler Model and the Interaction Model of Client Behavior (IMCB) guided the implementation of the project. This framework provided a unique and individualized approach for focusing on individual characteristics and the external factors that influenced dietary and physical activities that contribute to children’s health risks. Children, who were seen in the family practice clinic or attended the local school, were screened to determine their health risks associated with their BMI. These screenings provided a collective contribution of factors that affected each child’s health. Evidence-based (EB) strategies targeting dietary and physical activities were implemented for those having a BMI equal to or greater than the 85th percentile on the growth chart. Interventions focused on increasing awareness and motivating changes in health habits. Professional competencies and communications fostered parental decisions and enhanced the utilization of the strategies provided by the EB guidelines. Professionals and advocates provided motivation that initiated individualized decisions that influenced the diet and physical activities that were affecting their health. Data collected from the school’s health records and clinical charts for children who were seen in the primary care clinic was analyzed six months after the implementation of this project. An analysis of the data confirmed the prevalence of obesity and the lack of parental concern. The outcomes revealed an increase in the awareness of the need to initiate healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors that would promote health. An enlightening realization of the links between the presence of disease in family members and the health risks associated with being overweight or obesity was indicated after the first visit in most cases. The family history indicated the most significant impact on motivating changes in health habits. The HP/DP project proved to be beneficial in assisting providers, schools, and parents with identifying and managing the health risks associated with children’s BMI. It provided a unique, new collaborative, multidisciplinary service that bridged the gap between client singularity and the desired health outcomes. Sustaining this project and expanding the setting into other schools, clinics, and community settings would increase the potential for achieving optimal growth and development among children, resulting in a decrease in the prevalence of obesity among children.
