Identifying and Managing Eating Disorders in Pediatric Obesity Treatment: Current Practices in Weight Management Programs throughout the United States
Infographic1 min read·Published Jul 2026

Identifying and Managing Eating Disorders in Pediatric Obesity Treatment: Current Practices in Weight Management Programs throughout the United States

Infographic on eating disorder screening practices in U.S. pediatric obesity treatment programs

Infographic · Jul 2026 · 1 min read

In brief

In brief

National survey of 38 providers in pediatric weight management programs found that while 74% screen for eating disorders, most use informal methods without standardized tools. Behavioral health providers showed significantly higher comfort diagnosing binge eating disorder compared to medical providers, highlighting the need for structured screening guidelines and provider training.

  • 74% of pediatric weight management programs screen for eating disorders, but most use informal or non-validated tools rather than standardized screeners.
  • Barriers to ED screening include uncertainty about treatment options, lack of provider training, and insufficient clinic time.
  • Behavioral health providers show significantly higher comfort diagnosing binge eating disorder than medical providers (100% vs 53%, p=0.031).
  • Standardized screening protocols and provider training are needed to improve identification and management of eating disorders in youth with obesity.
  • Binge eating disorder is common in adolescents with obesity but detection in weight management programs remains inconsistent and poorly established.

Written by the GCMD Library team from the infographic.

The infographic uses a teal, purple, and yellow color scheme with cartoon illustrations including a clipboard, a healthcare provider character, a concerned parent-child pair, and a scale icon. Information is organized in sections with headers, bullet points, and highlighted statistics in colored boxes. The layout flows from top to bottom with key findings emphasized in larger text.

Lizzy Lee PA-C

Eileen Chaves , Cristina Fernande, Sanita Ley, Helena Laroche, Adolfo J Ariza, Marsha B Novick, Kimberly Genuario, Christine San Giovanni, Amy Egbert, Crystal S Lim, Jared M Tucker

Background: Eating disorders (EDs) are common in adolescents with obesity. Detection of EDs, such as binge eating disorder (BED), within pediatric weight management programs (PWMPs) is vital to ensure that children and adolescents receive appropriate treatment, yet identification of EDs in PWMPs is not well-established. This study sought to understand current practices in the assessment and management of EDs in PWMPs in the United States.

Methods: A survey was developed by topic experts within Childhood Obesity Multi-Program Analysis and Study System to evaluate program practices related to the screening, diagnosis, referral, and treatment of EDs in PWMPs. Surveys were emailed to medical and behavioral health providers within these practices throughout the United States. Responses were tabulated and compared across program and provider characteristics.

Results: Of the 38 respondents, three-fourths regularly screened for one or more EDs (n = 29; 74%) with most screening informally using either no screener or a clinic-developed questionnaire (n = 20; 69%). Reasons for not screening included not being sure how to provide appropriate ED treatment (n = 6); lack of training (n = 5); and lack of time (n = 4). Most respondents were comfortable screening for EDs generally (69%), but behavioral health providers reported higher comfort levels than medical providers in making BED diagnoses (100% vs. 53%; p = 0.031).

Conclusions: To provide the best patient care for adolescents with obesity, training and structured guidelines are needed to improve ED screening, as well as referral and treatment practices.
The text in the image

Identifying and Managing Eating Disorders in Pediatric Obesity Treatment: Current Practices in Weight Management Programs throughout the US | National Cross-Sectional Survey | 38 medical & behavioral health providers | Survey of U.S. pediatric weight management programs | How are pediatric obesity programs screening for and managing eating disorders? | 74% of programs routinely screen for eating disorders, 69% relied on informal and clinic-developed screening | Barriers to screening: | lack of knowledge about treatment options | limited provider training | time constraints | Behavioral health providers were more confident diagnosing binge eating disorder vs. medical providers (100% vs. 53%) | Conclusion: Most pediatric obesity clinics screen for eating disorders but standardized screening tools, training, and clear referral pathways are needed. | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41709113/ | Chaves E et. al. | Department of Pediatrics, Division of Neuropsychology & Pediatric Psychology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, USA | @LizzyPAC8 | @globalcastmd | @StayCCurrentMD | Cincinnati Children's

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