Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

About the Weight Management and
Wellness Center

Description of Services

The mission of the Weight Management and Wellness Center is to help children in our region achieve and maintain a healthy weight and to prevent, identify and treat weight related problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Fulfillment of this mission requires the involvement of a multidisciplinary team that includes physicians, nurses, nutritionists, exercise specialists and behavioral specialists. Another mission is to advance research in childhood obesity and its co-morbidities.

Services Provided

The Weight Management and Wellness Center provides a comprehensive evaluation to new patients that includes the following:

Medical assessment of weight, body composition analysis and clinical and laboratory evaluations to identify weight related diseases
Nutrition assessment to identify current dietary habits and willingness, ability and resources available to change current habits to promote weight loss
Physical activity assessment to identify current level of physical activity and willingness, ability and resources available to increase physical activity
Psychosocial screening assessment to identify problems that may interfere with a child’s ability to participate in a lifestyle program designed to promote weight loss

Treatment of overweight children involves one or more of the following:

Negotiation and implementation of a Healthy Lifestyles Goals Agreement. This is a contract between the Center and each child’s family that specifies behaviors that should be adopted within three to four months
Individual counseling with a wellness advisor for families struggling to reach the goals specified in the Healthy Lifestyles Goals Agreement or in need of additional help in general
A group (classroom style) educational intervention program for children and parents
Medications for a small number of children for weight loss or treatment of weight related problems
Assessment and referral for bariatric surgery for a very small number of older adolescents and young adults who have major comorbidities and who have been unsuccessful with other types of treatment
Regular follow-up, every two to four months in the Center to reinforce the Healthy Lifestyles Goals Agreement, monitor progress and provide counseling and other help as needed

Referral Requirements and Appointments

A referral from a primary care or other physician is required. Prior to appointments, the following information from your primary care physician should be received by the Center:

Growth chart and/or current height and weight
History of any weight related diseases such as high blood pressure or sleep-related breathing problems
Any involvement in other weight loss programs. (i.e. What have you already tried either with the help of your doctor or someone else?)

Once this information is received and an appointment has been made, download the appropriate new patient packet available online. This will provide you with all the information describing the services offered at the Weight Management Center and a number of assessment forms that ask about your child’s medical history, current symptoms and nutritional and physical activity habits. Please complete and bring these forms to your first appointment.