Recorded diagnosis of overweight/obesity in primary care is linked to obesity care performance rates

BMI measurement during visits with primary care pediatricians (PCP) can be central to diagnosing, managing, and treating overweight/obesity. We evaluated among children and adolescents with similar BMI percentiles, whether recording a formal diagnosis by PCP, of overweight/obesity is associated with improved performance rates of obesity-related care. We found that among children with versus without recorded diagnoses of overweight/obesity, rates were higher of referrals for screening measurements for obesity-related comorbidities, for dietitian and endocrine counseling, and of prescribing anti-obesity medications. Therefore, PCP should increase rates of recording diagnoses of overweight/obesity, to promote screening for obesity-related comorbidities, and aim to treat obesity as a chronic disease.