Date of Award
Winter 1-14-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Kinesiology (PhD)
Department
Kinesiology
Abstract
Pediatric obesity and physical inactivity remain significant public health concerns, yet many pediatric providers report limited training, time, and resources to deliver effective physical activity counseling. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine pediatric providers’ familiarity with physical activity guidelines, confidence in counseling, perceived barriers, and attitudes towards integrating exercise professionals into pediatric care in Eastern North Carolina. A secondary aim evaluated the feasibility of engaging regional practices using a structured recruitment strategy. Eleven pediatric healthcare providers completed an online survey assessing demographic characteristics, counseling behaviors, and perception of a proposed exercise referral model. Providers reported moderate to high familiarity with general physical activity guidelines but low awareness of the Pediatric Inactivity Triad. Greater guideline familiarity was significantly associated with more frequent incorporation of physical activity education and prescribing behaviors. No association was found between counseling confidence and confidence in referring patients after reviewing the proposed referral model. Qualitative feedback identified time constraints, cost and insurance barriers, and limited access to youth exercise resources as persistent challenges. Recruitment feasibility was limited by clinic accessibility and communication barriers. These findings suggest that pediatric providers value physical activity counseling but require structured referral pathways, interdisciplinary collaboration, and improved communication systems to integrate exercise effectively. Future research should include a larger sample, a mixed-methods design, and implementation testing of referral models to support sustainable pediatric physical activity interventions.