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Background: BMI is a feasible and recommended measure for overweight and obesity screening in children and adolescents. The study aimed to determine how often physicians correctly identified obesity/ overweight status in children and adolescents by using BMI percentile charts. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study reviewed the paper medical records of children and adolescents (6–14 years) who visited family medicine and pediatric outpatient clinics (Jan-June 2012) in a medical city in Riyadh. Investigators calculated BMI percentiles (using height, weight, age and gender data retrieved from the records) in order to identify patient weight status. Physician documentation of obesity/overweight diagnoses in patient problem lists were cross checked against their BMI percentile to assess the accuracy of physicians’ identification of weight status. The recommended management plan for identified patients was also recorded. Results: A total of 481 charts were reviewed, 213 (44%) children were seen by family medicine physicians and 268 (56%) by pediatricians. The sample was equally distributed by gender. Height was undocumented for 13% (71) of visiting patients. Eighteen percent of patients (86) were classified as overweight (35)/obese (51) according to age and sex adjusted BMI percentile. Physicians’ correctly identified and documented weight status in 20% of overweight/obese patients: 17 out of 86 subjects. Weight status identification was higher among pediatricians—25% as compared to family medicine physicians—10% [p = 0.08]. Dietary referral was the most common management plan for the identified children. Physicians were more likely to identify obese children {≥95th} compared to overweight {≥85th - 95th} children. Subjects whose BMI for age classified them into the highest BMI percentile category {≥95th} were more likely to be correctly identified (29%) compared to those classified within {≥85th - 95th} category—6% [p = 0.007]. Conclusion: Physician identification of obesity/ overweight status for children and adolescents was low, irrespective of their specialty, and despite the condition being prevalent in the sample. Future research that concentrates on interventions that may improve documentation of obesity/overweight diagnoses and parameters needed for BMI indices would be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To measure the health related quality of life (HRQoL) among Saudi Arabian adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and the impact the disease has on the family.Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted involving 315 adolescent patients (12-18 years) and their caregivers. Adolescent HRQoL was assessed by adolescents and their parents completing the Peds QL™ Diabetes Module 3.0. Family impact was assessed by the parent completing the Peds QL™ Family Impact module (FIM).Results: Adolescents reported a cumulative mean HRQoL score of 64.8, while parents reported significantly lower scores of 60.3 (p=0.003). The lowest scores reported by both adolescents and parents were for "Worry". Female gender and late adolescent age were predictors of lower HRQoL for adolescents with T1DM. The FIM showed low scores for "Emotional functioning" (59.8) and high scores for "Family relationships" (80.9).Conclusion: These findings emphasize the importance of an interdisciplinary, biopsychosocial and family centered care approach to adolescents with a chronic disease. Future work could assess the effectiveness of direct care involvement of adolescent and mental health experts in improving the HRQoL for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]