Clinical Services

Obesity Care and Diet Counseling

Pediatric primary care Prevalence of overweight and its significant co-morbidities in pediatric populations has rapidly increased and reached epidemic proportions.
Prevention of overweight is critical, because long-term outcome data for successful treatment approaches are limited.
Genetic, environmental, or combinations of risk factors predisposing children to obesity can and should be identified.
Early recognition of excessive weight gain relative to linear growth should become routine in pediatric ambulatory care settings. BMI should be calculated and plotted periodically.
Families should be educated and empowered through anticipatory guidance to recognize the impact they have on their children's development of lifelong habits of physical activity and nutritious eating.
Dietary practices should be fostered that encourage moderation rather than over consumption, emphasizing healthful choices rather than restrictive eating patterns.
Regular physical activity should be consciously promoted, prioritized, and protected within families, schools, and communities.
Optimal approaches to prevention need to combine dietary and physical activity interventions.