PurposeThe development of a national model has led municipalities in the Netherlands to implement integrated care for childhood overweight and obesity. To monitor how this approach is being implemented locally, an appropriate tool is required. This study presents a “Tool to monitor the local implementation of Integrated Care for Childhood Overweight and obesity” (TICCO).Design/methodology/approachA three-step study was conducted in order to adapt and refine a generic integrated care questionnaire into a tool that suits the specific characteristics and context of integrated care for childhood overweight and obesity. The three consecutive steps comprised the following: a focus group session that assessed the relevance and comprehensiveness of the original integrated care instrument; a pilot questionnaire for end users that evaluated the feasibility of the preliminary tool and a pilot questionnaire that determined the feasibility and potential limitations of this adapted tool.FindingsThe adaptation process resulted in a 47-element digital tool for professionals actively involved in providing integrated care for childhood overweight and obesity. The results highlighted differences pertaining to how individual respondents judged each of the elements. These variations were found across both municipalities and different domains of integrated care.Originality/valueThis article presents an adapted tool that seeks to both support local discussion in the interpretation of individual TICCO scores and identify potential areas for improvement in local integrated care for childhood overweight and obesity.

Background Childhood obesity is a chronic disease with negative physical and psychosocial health consequences. To manage childhood overweight and obesity, integrated care as part of an integrated approach is needed. To realise implementation of this integrated care, practical guidance for policy and practice is needed. The aim of this study is to describe the development of a Dutch national model of integrated care for childhood overweight and obesity and accompanying materials for policy and practice. Methods The development of the national model was led by a university-based team in collaboration with eight selected Dutch municipalities who were responsible for the local realisation of the integrated care and with frequent input from other stakeholders. Learning communities were organised to exchange knowledge, experiences and tools between the participating municipalities. Results The developed national model describes the vision, process, partners and finance of the integrated care. It sets out a structure that provides a basis for local integrated care that should facilitate support and care for children with overweight or obesity and their families. The accompanying materials are divided into materials for policymakers to support local realisation of the integrated care and materials for healthcare professionals to support them in delivering the needed support and care. Conclusions The developed national model and accompanying materials can contribute to improvement of support and care for children with overweight or obesity and their families, and thereby help improve the health, quality of life and societal participation of these children. Further implementation of the evidence- and practice-based integrated care while evaluating on the way is needed.