The BDA Paediatric Specialist Group invites you to explore our new webpages dedicated to supporting healthcare professionals, as well as dietitians, working with children at high risk or living with obesity. This website has been developed with a group of multi-disciplinary professionals including specialist clinical psychologists & dietitians working in an established tier 3 weight management service.
We have all seen the rising rates of childhood obesity reflected in our clinics and we appreciate the challenges that come with trying to manage these patients, especially in poorly resourced and funded departments. Furthermore, the fragmentation of information can create variations in practice. We hope to bridge this gap by providing one place to access practical information and resources that aim to streamline childhood obesity management.
Scope of this website
In the UK it is well known that weight management services for children are not commissioned enough. To streamline childhood obesity management and better support practice in resource-poor teams, this website aims to bridge the fragmentation of resources across various organisations by providing easy access to useful and practical information in one place.
This website is in the scope of children:
-
Aged between 2-18 years
-
At high risk of obesity (overweight)
-
Already living with obesity
This website is not in the scope of children requiring (though information may still be relevant):
-
Those living with learning difficulties and/or disabilities
-
Medical treatment for co-morbidities related to obesity
-
Bariatric surgery
Historically, there has been a lack of well-designed training available for healthcare professionals in this area. This website does not aim to replace any formal training but will signpost to useful resources and training where available.
Specific foundation-level training has been developed by NHS England e-learning for healthcare for all healthcare professionals. This has been designed by members of the British Dietetic Association Paediatric Specialist Group and Obesity Specialist Group and can be accessed here.
Who is this website for
This website is aimed at healthcare professionals from all backgrounds that work with children living with or at high risk of obesity. This may include school nurses, GPs, health visitors and dietitians.
This website aims to support individuals without dedicated services or pathways for childhood weight management or access to a specialist multidisciplinary team.
All healthcare professionals are recommended the following sections which will be available for open access: Growth Assessment, Referral Pathway and Leading Conversations.
Only members of the British Dietetic Association Paediatric Specialist Group will gain unrestricted access to dietetic-centred assessment and resource sections. Non-members can request access by contacting the British Dietetic Association here.
How to use this website
There is a multitude of high-quality resources that exist across multiple agencies. We aim to signpost and highlight the most useful training and/or reading for continuing professional development.
Each page contains a feedback tool. Please rate each page and submit any relevant feedback so we can develop this website.
All information has been checked for accuracy at the time of development. Despite rigorous work to curate this website, the use of appropriate language in some links cannot be guaranteed. Please links with caution and ensure you refer to the ‘Leading Conversations’ section of this website.
Date of next review: October 2024