Disseminating and Implementing the Science of Pediatric Obesity Treatment and Prevention.

Abstract

Pennington Biomedical Research Center convened a scientific symposium in March-April 2025, which brought together leaders in dissemination and implementation science to identify what is known and what is needed to foster the rapid dissemination and implementation of evidence-based, guideline-backed pediatric obesity prevention and treatment interventions. The primary aim of the symposium was to identify effective dissemination and implementation strategies, contextual factors related to strategy selection, and mechanisms of successful intervention reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Through this symposium, the overarching goal was to accelerate the rate of translation of evidence-based interventions for the prevention and treatment of pediatric obesity into practice while advancing dissemination and implementation science in settings including health care, schools, and the community. This article summarizes the state of the scientific evidence discussed at the symposium, identifies exemplars of implementation-effectiveness trials, and provides recommendations for disseminating and implementing evidence-based pediatric obesity prevention and treatment interventions into typical clinical and community settings.