Training in motivational interviewing for pediatricians was associated with a higher uptake of health behavior and lifestyle treatment: Results from the KP Wellness Coaching for Families and Kids (WC4K) Program.

Objective: To determine the association between motivational interviewing (MI) training for pediatricians and the caregiver's uptake of health behavior and lifestyle treatment (HBLT) during the Wellness Coaching for Kids (WC4K) implementation study.

Methods: Pediatricians from 24 (of 49) randomly assigned pediatric clinics across Southern California were trained in MI to motivate and refer eligible caregivers to engage in HBLT beginning in 2022. Eligible children were 3-8 years old at the time of their caregiver's referral to HBLT, with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 85th percentile for age and sex. Two years after the program started, we analyzed the proportion of referred caregivers who engaged in HBLT coaching by the pediatricians' MI-training status.

Results: Among 233 pediatricians from 24 intervention clinics, 53 % (n = 123) participated in MI training, and 44 % (n = 102) referred at least one caregiver to HBLT coaching. Out of 19,888 eligible children, 10.3 % (n = 2045) were referred to wellness coaching (reached). The reach was higher in MI-trained compared to untrained pediatricians (20.4 ± 10.1 % and 7.0 ± 10.2 %, respectively, p = 0.003). Among those referred, 49.9 % (n = 1021) scheduled a coaching appointment, and 43.3 % (n = 886) received at least one coaching call (uptake). The uptake among caregivers with MI-trained pediatricians was significantly higher (aOR 2.3; 95 %CI 1.4, 3.6) than among those with untrained pediatricians.

Conclusions: Caregiver uptake of HBLT was higher when referred by MI-trained pediatricians, suggesting MI can be successful in brief interventions to engage families in initiating HBLT for childhood obesity in primary care.