The role of the nutricionist in primary health care for the prevention and control of childhood obesity

Abstract

This is a study aimed at identifying and describing, according to the literature, the actions of nutritionists, working in primary care, for the prevention and control of childhood obesity. Thus, a integrative review study was carried out based on theorical references in the international literature. Three databases were consulted: the Virtual Health Library (BVS), PubMed, and SciELO. The descriptors used for the search were: nutritionists; healthcare professionals; childhood obesity; primary health care, and their respective English equivalents. The selection of articles was carried out in July 2024, following inclusion and exclusion criteria defined for the study. Ten articles were selected for analysis. After the analysis, it was possible to identify three thematic categories. The first refers to actions developed in primary care, which included interventions with multifamily groups; follow-up with motivational interviews; telephone counseling; follow-up with a doctor medical and a nutritionist; integration of the nutritionist into primary care; and the development of a smartphone application. The second category described the impacts of these actions, which included: reduction in anthropometric measurements, changes in behaviors that contribute to obesity, emotional changes, and an increase in the demand for nutritional care. The third category addressed the strengths and limitations of interventions in primary care. The data from this study emphasizes the need for preventive care, which can have more significant impacts on children and families. The inclusion of nutritionists in primary care can enable more intensive actions in nutritional education.