Feasibility of a Clinic-Community Partnership to Treat Childhood Obesity.

Background: "Bull City Fit" is a childhood obesity treatment partnership between Duke Children's pediatric weight management clinic and Durham Department of Parks and Recreation.

Objectives: Report on feasibility and implementation, characteristics of participants, and predictors of attendance.

Methods: Mixed methods study consisting of (1) a retrospective cohort analysis (n = 171) reporting demographic, attendance, and clinical data and (2) structured focus groups among stakeholders to identify implementation facilitators and barriers.

Ethical issues in artificial nutrition and hydration: a review.

Healthcare professionals often face clinical and ethical challenges when charged with making decisions related to provision or lack of provision of artificial nutrition and hydration. The intent of this review is to supply a framework of clinical practices, ethical principles, legal precedents, and professional guidelines that will impart information and can assist decision making regarding artificial nutrition and hydration. Comprehensive understanding of the theory and practice of informed consent for competent adults, decisionally incompetent adults, and minors is necessary for making valid clinical judgments and for guiding patients and their families or surrogates in choosing options related to initiating, withholding, or withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration.