Weight Management for Kids and Teens at Children's Hospital Colorado
The Weight Management Program's goal is to improve the lives of children and families who are facing challenges and health conditions related to weight. We strive to provide families with the tools that build motivation and confidence in order to be successful with lifestyle changes.
We treat children who are overweight or obese and live in the Denver-metro area, throughout Colorado and the five-state region. With medical assessment and evaluation from a team of pediatric experts, weight management at Children's Hospital Colorado is an ongoing process.
Patients' primary care providers should refer them to Children's Colorado for weight management services if they are overweight, gaining too much weight, are obese, or have obesity-related conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obstructive sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovarian syndrome, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, or insulin resistance.
We treat severely obese patients with inpatient stays, special diets or other intensive interventions. Weight management patients have access to free exercise classes in the Wellness Center, which includes a yoga room and fitness room. In addition, Children's Hospital Colorado offers a menu of clinical options (General Weight Management Program), depending on the severity of obesity/co-morbid conditions, motivation of child or family, abilities of child or family and geographical location.
How to refer a patient to the Weight Management Program (.pdf)
What did you just eat?? Download our Calorie Card that can help your child eat healthier foods.
Why choose Children's Hospital Colorado?
For more than twenty years, we have treated children with weight management issues. Children's Hospital Colorado provides a team of experts to treat children who range from being mildly overweight to severely obese with related illnesses. As one of the only programs in the country to see children from birth to adulthood, we are also the only regional specialty care center to treat the obese pediatric patient and focus on obesity treatment for the special needs population. Our experts have created national obesity guidelines, led national obesity studies and publications, and participate in a national FOCUS group.
All clinics in the Weight Management Program offer a multidisciplinary team experience, with pediatric-trained experts, including pediatric psychologists, weight management dietitians, an exercise physiologist, recreational therapists and physicians with specialty training in endocrinology, gastroenterology, nutrition, cardiology and surgery.
Specific weight-related conditions treated
- Obesity/overweight children and teens
- Metabolic syndrome
- Dyslipidimia (high cholesterol, high triglycerides, low HDL)
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Obstructive sleep apnea/sleep disorder
- Type 2 diabetes
- Insulin resistance
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
Services offered
- Blood tests
- Radiologic studies
- Sleep studies
- Lifestyle changes (primary)
- Supplements (fish oils, vitamin E, multivitamin, calcium, iron, vitamin D)
- Medication
- Variety of clinical research and trials for patients who meet criteria
- Related clinics, activities, etc.
- Lipid Clinic in cardiology for children with obesity-related high cholesterol or familial high cholesterol
- Annual “Walk for the Stars” for all weight management patients
- Weekly exercise classes for Weight Management patients on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at Children's Hospital Colorado Wellness Center (720-777-5548)
Weight management programs and clinics for kids and teens
Children's Hospital Colorado offers the region’s leading pediatric weight management program. Each of the treatment options is aimed at meeting the needs of overweight and obese pediatric patients through an individualized family-centered care approach. A primary goal of each of the multidisciplinary clinics includes providing children and families the opportunity to receive education and support in order to make life-long changes.
The multidisciplinary team consists of pediatricians, a nurse, a dietitian, a therapeutic recreation specialist, an exercise physiologist and psychologists with a focus on healthy eating, physical activity and behavior changes. The following program descriptions will help you to understand each of the programs offered.
General Weight Management Program
The General Weight Management Program has streamlined the entry process. All patients will be referred by their PCP or self referred. There are a variety of entry points into the program, non of which are mutually exclusive, nor are all necessary for every patient. The goal is to provide a tailored program to each individual with a variety of options available.
How to refer a patient to the Weight Management Program (.pdf)
GoodLIFE Clinics
The GoodLife (Lifestyles Influencing Fitness and Eating) Clinics provide treatment options for overweight and obese infants, toddlers, school-age children and adolescents. The GoodLIFE clinics are for severely obese children or for children who need a medical evaluation for their obesity-related problems. These clinics are directed by a physician and provide the medical assessment and care related to your child’s obesity.
Metabolic Syndrome Clinic
The multidisciplinary Metabolic Syndrome clinic provides evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents whose weight is associated with insulin resistance-related disorders. This clinic is for severely obese children or for children who need a medical evaluation for their obesity-related problems. Labs must be reviewed by a nurse or physician in endocrinology in order to be scheduled in this clinic.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call Endocrinology at (720) 777-6128.
SHAPEDOWN®
The SHAPEDOWN® Program, provided by Children’s Hospital Heart Institute, is a 10-week group participation program. SHAPEDOWN® is the nation’s leading weight program for teens and children. The SHAPEDOWN® team consists of social workers trained in pediatrics or family systems, therapeutic recreation specialists and a registered dietitian.
For more information, or to make an appointment, call Cardiology at (720) 777-6820.
Weight Management Dietitian Consultation
Outpatient dietary counseling for weight management is available through the Clinical Nutrition Department by a registered dietitian. Private nutrition counseling is available at Children's Hospital Colorado main campus.
For more information, or to schedule and appointment, call the Nutrition Department at (720) 777-2691.
