Abstract
In order to successfully address the problem of childhood obesity, effective weight management programs must be established by a variety of clinicians to treat the increasing numbers of overweight and obese children and adolescents. An effective program will: 1) identify children and adolescents with health risks related to excess fat, 2) help families make permanent healthy lifestyle changes, and 3) provide ongoing care to optimize long-term health. Building a pediatric weight management program which achieves these goals requires attention to several aspects, including location, personnel, equipment, institutional support, marketing, referral base, focus of the overall approach, and billing & reimbursement. Maintaining the program after it is established can be enhanced by concentrating on team communication, continuing education, continuous quality improvement, and improving adherence.
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Acknowledgements
This article was supported in part by the Adolescent Health Protection Program (School of Nursing, University of Minnesota) grant number T01-DP000112 (PI: Bearinger) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC.
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Edwards, N.M., Schwarzenberg, S.J. Designing and implementing an effective pediatric weight management program. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 10, 197–203 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-009-9110-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-009-9110-z