BMI and Waist Circumference for Increased Overweight and Obesity Diagnosis
Abstract
Overweight and obesity rates in the United States are reaching epidemic proportions and is a
greater reality to rural communities. The purpose of this quasi-experimental, quality
improvement project was to increase rates of accurate overweight and obesity diagnoses and
documentation by implementing evidence-based guidelines in weight screening practices using
body mass index and waist circumference. The setting for this project was a rural Missouri
primary care clinic and the participants consisted of 104 adult patients at their annual wellness
visits. The intervention included the provision of educational resources to clinic staff and
patients, as well as implementation of standardized weight screening, using body mass index and
waist circumference. The results indicated an increase in the documentation of overweight and
obesity diagnoses, which was clinically significant. Despite the marginal success of the project,
evidence-based weight screening fosters improvement in the health of adults in rural Missouri.
Degree
D.N.P.
Thesis Department
Rights
Open Access (fully available)
Copyright retained by author