Date Presented 4/19/2018
A thematic synthesis of the literature was conducted to determine the role of occupational therapy in addressing childhood obesity. Evidence-based intervention strategies were found that address three themes: nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyle behaviors.
Primary Author and Speaker: Beth Ann Walker
Additional Authors and Speakers: McKenzie Arondelli, Danielle Brendle, Rachel Clark, Amanda Green, and Stacey Klene
PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND: The purpose of this thematic synthesis was to explore the practical implications of the evidence related to the role of occupational therapy in childhood obesity. Over the past decade in the United States, the number of children who are obese has quadrupled (Kugel et al., 2016). This problem affects people of all ages but is especially concerning for the younger population because of the increased risks associated with obesity, long-term health issues, and poor habits in their future as adults (Pizzi et al., 2014). Obesity has a negative impact not only on the health and wellness of children but also on their psychological and social performance (Hong et al., 2016). The potentially negative impact of obesity on a child’s physical activity, social engagement, and emotional health can in turn compromise meaningful engagement and active participation in many environments (Kuczmarski et al., 2010).
Client-centered and holistic health-promoting activities may improve overall health and empower those who are struggling to incorporate healthy habits into their daily life (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2012). To properly provide the most effective interventions for children affected by obesity and their families, it is essential to understand and apply knowledge from studies on functional limitations, various occupations, and patterns of participation in children.
METHOD: A qualitative thematic synthesis of the literature was performed to explore the role of occupational therapy practitioners in treating childhood obesity. EBSCO Publishing, OTsearch, Google Scholar, and the American Journal of Occupational Therapy were used to find articles relevant to the topic. We used a constant comparative approach to analyze the 23 articles that met the inclusion criteria. The articles were evenly distributed among the researchers and individually annotated with potential codes related to implications for practice based on the evidence. Articles were redistributed and after peer review, 138 codes were reduced to three themes, each consisting of four categories.
RESULTS: The three themes that emerged from the evidence to support the role of occupational therapy in addressing childhood obesity were physical activity, nutrition, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Evidence-based intervention strategies for each theme were further categorized by four levels of occupational therapy service: client, family, community, and practitioner education.
CONCLUSION: For occupational therapy practitioners to embrace the tenets of evidence-based practice, continuous efforts must be made to ensure that critical appraisals of the literature go a step beyond to clearly outline how to modify practice to support outcomes. Occupational therapy practitioners can use this evidence to promote active lifestyles and provide needed interventions to address physical activity, nutrition, and healthy lifestyles for individuals, families, and communities. Because obesity has no single cause, practitioners should take into account the child’s environment, family lifestyles, eating habits, and level of physical activity when creating an individualized, personalized treatment plan.
References
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2012). Occupational therapy’s role in mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention with children and youth childhood obesity. Retrieved from https://www.aota.org/∼/media/Corporate/Files/Practice/Children/SchoolMHToolkit/Childhood%20Obesity.pdf
Hong, I., Coker-Bolt, P., Anderson, K. R., Lee, D., & Velozo, C. A. (2016). Relationship between physical activity and overweight and obesity in children: Findings from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey National Youth Fitness Survey. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 70, 7005180060. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2016.021212
Kuczmarski, M., Reitz, S. M., & Pizzi, M. A. (2010). Weight management and obesity reduction. In M. Scaffa, S. M. Reitz, & M. A. Pizzi (Eds.), Occupational therapy in the promotion of health and wellness (pp. 253–279). Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.
Kugel, J., Hemberger, C., Krpalek, D., & Javaherian-Dysinger, H. (2016). Occupational therapy wellness program. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 70, 7005180010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2016.021642
Pizzi, M., Vroman, K. G., Lau, C., Gill, S. V., Bazyk, S., Suarez-Balcazar, Y., & Orloff, S. (2014). Occupational therapy and the childhood obesity epidemic: Research, theory and practice. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, and Early Intervention, 7, 87–105. https://doi.org/10.1080/19411243.2014.930605
