Characteristics of child health care practitioners in overweight prevention of children.

OBJECTIVES To identify behavioral and personal characteristics of child health care (CHC) practitioners that influences the effect of early overweight prevention in children. METHODS In total 216 questionnaires were filled out by CHC practitioners from four organizations in the Netherlands. RESULTS There is a gap between awareness of the problem overweight in early childhood and actually discussing this with parents, as well as a gap between the existing recommendations and the perceived importance of early overweight prevention. Despite the fact that nurses have a more central task in life-style support than physicians, they reported to have less knowledge and skills than physicians. CONCLUSIONS While both CHC physicians and nurses need support in improving their knowledge and skills, it is the nurses who need more support. A more structured and tailored implementation strategy with more emphasis on the needs of the nurses and physicians may improve early overweight management.