Research Paper Title

Shared Care Obesity Management in 3-10 Year Old Children: 12 Month Outcomes of HopSCOTCH Randomised Trial.

Study Question

Does a shared care model of obesity management, involving primary care and tertiary care obesity specialists, result in better body masss index (BMI) and related outcomes in obese children aged 3-10 years?

Summary Answer

Although the shared care model was feasible and acceptable to families and health professionals, it did not improve chidlren’s BMI or other related outcomes relative to controls after 12 months.

What is Known and What this Paper Adds

Shared tertiary-general practitioner care is feasible for a range of conditions and could enhance access to care for obese children, but its effectiveness has not previously been tested. A 12 month, shared care obesity management programme for 3-10 year olds was feasible, not harmful, and acceptable to healthcare providers and families but did not improve chidlren’s BMI relative to untreated controls.

Source: BMJ 2013;346:f3092.