Research

Weight Management Research

The Weight Management & Wellness Center at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC is a multidisciplinary center devoted to the prevention, intervention and treatment of overweight and obese children with or at risk for developing obesity-related co-morbidities including type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, the metabolic syndrome and sleep apnea.

The advancement of scientific knowledge through research is central to the mission of the Weight Management & Wellness Center. Among its current numerous projects are a Weight Management & Wellness Center Registry that will provide regional and even national input to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients who are referred to an obesity center for management. Another study explores the metabolic and systemic profiles of overweight children, advancing knowledge about the co-morbidities associated with obesity.

Other work evaluates the impact of physical activity in decreasing the risk for a child to develop type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Another project studies the relationship of sleep apnea/hypopnea in obesity with insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease risk. These systematic evaluations of childhood obesity-associated co-morbidities are combined with investigations into the psychological/behavioral aspects of childhood obesity. From a Public Health perspective the Center applies Geographic Information System mapping (GIS), in collaboration with architects from Carnegie Mellon University to investigate the impact of the physical environment on childhood obesity and treatment outcomes.

The Weight Management & Wellness Center continues to draw international recognition through its research efforts and patient resolve and by establishing protocols that have laid the groundwork for creation of similar centers around the country.