Making Fit Kids: The Evolution of a Hospital-Based Childhood Obesity Program in New York City

摘要

Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the U.S., and its treatment can be both difficult and costly. Located at New York Hospital Queens in New York City, Fit Kids takes a multidisciplinary and cost-effective approach to the treatment of obesity. This article details the evolution of Fit Kids over the past 5 years into a program that addresses the medical, psychological, nutritional, and exercise aspects of childhood obesity. Fit Kids' expansion was based on current expert recommendations in the field with an emphasis on the development of team cohesion, community input, and family involvement. The program offers exercise classes 3 days per week, a 12-week nutrition curriculum, and group counseling sessions. The program is a continuous work in progress as we will continue to base further expansion on input from the participants and the outcome data we collect during the program. Fit Kids can be easily adapted to other communities by tailoring a program to the needs and wants of the population that it serves and utilizing available resources to minimize cost.