Treating Pediatric Obesity

Obesity affects more than 14 million children and adolescents and puts them at risk of poor health in adulthood. Even children as young as two years old are affected.

At Nova Physician Wellness Center, obesity specialists Rohit Suri, MD, Seema Chaudhary, MD, and our team of nurse practitioners understand that parents want what’s best for their children. With childhood obesity rates continuing to rise, it’s wise to seek help from a specialist early.

Taking action to support your child and help them reach and maintain a healthy weight for their age protects them against weight-related health problems like high cholesterol and fatty liver disease.

Whether your child has genes that increase the likelihood of weight gain, or less healthy eating habits and lack of activity are contributing factors, the Nova Physician Wellness team can help. 

Learn how we help children shed excess weight and improve their health so that they thrive. 

Complications of childhood obesity

Carrying excess weight in childhood isn’t harmless. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of weight in relation to height and helps to estimate the amount of body fat your child has. A BMI above the 95th percentile falls into the obese category.

Children who are well above a healthy weight for their age are at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, joint problems, gallstones, and breathing problems. Additionally, children who carry excess body weight are more likely to develop heart disease as adults. 

Helping children thrive

Childhood obesity is complex, and individual factors play a role in your child’s treatment plan. The Nova Physician Wellness team incorporates various tools to help your child and family adopt a healthy lifestyle that supports weight maintenance.

The team will create an individualized program to meet your child’s needs. Consistency and dedication are key in any effective pediatric obesity program. 

Your child’s program may involve a fitness plan and nutrition and behavioral counseling.

Nutrition counseling

Making healthier food choices is the cornerstone of a good childhood obesity plan. Fortunately, parents have some control and influence over what their children eat. With nutrition counseling, we assess your child’s usual eating habits to identify areas where change is needed. 

We take time to listen and understand your child’s typical diet and lifestyle, and then we work with you and your child to help you achieve dietary goals. We create an action plan to help your child and family adopt a healthier way of eating.

Individualized fitness plans

The lifestyle of today’s children is much less active than previous generations, and lack of exercise contributes to weight gain and health problems. Most children who are overweight or obese need to build active habits. Children should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.

Getting the whole family on board is a great way to help your child engage in more physical activity. Our team can develop a fitness plan that emphasizes fun to encourage your child to get their body moving and enjoy physical activity. 

Behavioral counseling

Our team works with you to implement healthy behaviors. Family-based behavioral counseling is an effective way to promote children’s weight management. The way your child and family think about food can have an influence on successfully reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.

Adopting behaviors such as avoiding eating in front of the television or while otherwise distracted, keeping healthy foods like fruit out on a table, eating at regular mealtimes, and keeping tempting foods out of the house, can all contribute to healthy weight maintenance.

Our team can help your family and child develop healthy behaviors and have a positive attitude toward food and nutrition.

Take the first step

If you’re ready to help your child improve their health for a better and healthier future, the Nova Physician Wellness team is here to support your family every step of the way. Get started by calling one of our offices in Ashburn, Fairfax, or Vienna, Virginia, to schedule an appointment with Dr. Suri or Dr. Chaudhary. Or you can book your request while you’re here on the website.