HeartSmartKids: Proven Technology To Address Childhood Obesity 

HeartSmartKids is in partnership with several organizations to research effective methods for addressing childhood obesity in healthcare settings.
 

Commerce City, CO - 3yr longitudinal study
Partner: Dr Matt Haemer, UCDenver School of Medicine Pediatric Nutrition
Publication: Presented 2013 The Obesity Society. Manuscript forthcoming.

In 2013 we finished a three-year study with the UCDenver School of Medicine that included both prevention and intervention elements. This study showed:

  • the effectiveness of trained primary care practitioners and HeartSmartKids tools to prevent obesity
  • the feasibility of using technology to improve screening and counseling in a safety net primary care setting

Specific outcomes:

  • fewer overweight children became obese compared to a control group
  • more overweight children became normal weight compared to a control group
  • mean BMI percentile of overweight children decreased ~2.5%
  • average screening time was just above 3min
  • HeartSmartKids screening was accomplished at over 98% of well child visits
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National - AHRQ 3yr practitioner efficacy study
Partner: Arizona State University Center for Nursing Innovation
Publication: data gathering finished Jan 2014. Process presentations WIN ’12, ’13, ’14

HeartSmartKids formed the technology arm of a twelve-site, six-state research project to improve adherence to clinical guidelines in School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs). Sites in NY, NC, MI, CO, NM, and AZ were remotely trained and configured.

Specific outcomes (data processing in progress, Spring 2014):

  • remote iPad system implementation and web-based HeartSmartKids training in six states across three time zones
  • need for more intensive training on Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Brief Focused Negotiation (BFN)

 

Sheridan, CO - Clinical Quality Improvement project
Partner: Arizona State University Center for Nursing Innovation
Publication: JSPN Vol. 15, No. 1, January 2010

Specific outcome: Improvement in documentation of guidelines-based obesity care in a local SBHC, HeartSmartKids’ second site. Weight classification, blood pressure calculation, and counseling for activity and nutrition formed the major outcomes in this pre/post study.


If you know of a project that could benefit from a portable, inexpensive, and flexible tool like HSK, please contact us, info@heartsmartkids.com or www.heartsmartkids.com.