PROGRAM HELPS CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
LOSE WEIGHT AND DEVELOP HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE

Belleville, N.J. July 13, 2007-- For the first time in history, our children's life expectancy could be lower than our own. The reason is an alarming rise in pediatric obesity. Without proper intervention, overweight children are at risk for early development of health problems such as diabetes, hormonal imbalances, heart disease, high blood pressure, breathing problems, sleep problems, joint problems, as well as social and psychological difficulties.

Clara Maass Medical Center's Child and Adolescent Weight Management Program is working with young people and their families to reverse this alarming trend. The program works in conjunction with the child's pediatrician to provide assessment, nutritional planning and lifestyle recommendations. This includes nutritional assessment by a Registered Dietitian, appropriate nutritional meal planning, and fun follow-up education.

Roger Cooper, M.D., who heads the Department of Pediatrics at Clara Maass Medical Center, says, "As pediatricians and the primary care providers for these children, we need to sit down with parents and relate that they have a child who is at risk for all kinds of health problems if the situation is not brought under control. Then we have to help the children get stabilized medically and into a program that includes diet, exercise and behavioral support."

Some concerning statistics:

• Nationally, 15 percent of children aged six to 11 and 12 to 19, are obese
• 20 percent of sixth grade children are obese in New Jersey
• 18 percent of sixth grade children and overweight in New Jersey
• Boys have a higher rate of obesity than girls

The Program
Obesity is affected by a combination of genetics, diet, physical activity level and psychological factors. At the Child and Adolescent Weight Management Program, if there are underlying medical causes for obesity, or if a child has developed obesity-related conditions, the pediatrician can refer the child to a network of pediatric specialists in fields such as hypertension, cardiology, hyperlipidaemia and endocrinology. Pediatricians refer children to Clara Maass Medical Center's Outpatient Nutrition Program, which works with the patient's pediatrician to provide recommendations for dietary changes and nutritional planning.

During the first session, a registered dietician conducts a complete nutritional evaluation, provides nutritional education, and helps the family develop a dietary plan. Then, over a 2-3 month visit period, children return for follow-up sessions with the nutritionist. During those visits, progress is recorded and any necessary adjustments are made to the eating plan. The pediatrician receives regular reports on the child's status.

After the patient is cleared by the pediatrician, he or she receives a free yearlong membership to the YMCA of Montclair provided by the Clara Maass Foundation. The YMCA course, for children grades 4 to 7, teaches basic personal fitness training principles through action. Course content includes cardiovascular, strength & flexibility training, sound nutrition habits and more. Successful completion of this class allows participants to use both cardio rooms on their own. Class meets once a week.

"Obesity is often a fatal disease in the long term," says Dr. Cooper. "If we can interrupt the progression in young patients before irreversible damage, and teach them healthy eating habits, then we have helped to change a major health problem facing our children today."

For more information, please contact the Child and Adolescent Weight Management Program at (973) 450-2268.

Clara Maass Medical Center, an affiliate of the Saint Barnabas Health Care System, is New Jersey's only community hospital selected to the 2005 Solucient 100 Top Hospitals®: Performance Improvement Leaders list. Founded in 1868 as Newark German Hospital, Clara Maass provides a complete continuum of care to residents of northern New Jersey at campuses in both Belleville and Kearny. The Centers of medical excellence include the Women's Health Center, Nuclear Medicine, the Cancer Center at Clara Maass, diagnostic cardiac services including cardiac catheterization, emergency angioplasty and rehabilitation, The Pain Management Center, The Orthopedic Spine & Joint Institute, a Vascular Center, Same Day Surgery, The Clara Maass Wound Center, The Center for Sleep Disorders, rehabilitation services and maternity services and parent education, as well as pediatrics. For a physician referral or more information about Clara Maass, call 1-888-SBHS-123 or visit www.saintbarnabas.com.

The Saint Barnabas Health Care System is New Jersey's largest integrated health care delivery system. The System includes more than 22,000 employees (second largest private employer in the state), 4,750 physicians (one-fourth of the state's practicing physicians) and 443 residents who provide treatment and services for more than two million patients annually; 225,000 inpatients and same day surgery patients, 450,000 Emergency Department patients and over 1.5 million outpatients, and 17,500 births.

CONTACT:
Dennis Wilson, Jr.
Office- (973) 322-4925
dwilson@sbhcs.com

[ back to news menu ] [ top ]