We are pleased to announce that Kindercare Pediatrics will be offering a multidisciplinary childhood obesity management program for children aged 9-12. As part of the program’s development, we would like to receive feedback and recommendations about this initiative from parents in the community. We would appreciate it if you would take some time to read the description of the program below and then let us know your thoughts. You can write the feedback in the comments section at the end of this post. Alternatively, you can email us your thoughts to admin@kindercarepediatrics.ca

Description of the Program
The Kindercare Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle program emphasizes physical and mental health/well-being, not weight loss. There is strong emphasis on evidence-based, non-stigmatizing, health-enhancing interventions and support for children and their families.

Program Details:
• 6 months duration
• Available to 9-13 year-old children struggling with overweight/obesity
• Initial comprehensive child-specific medical, nutrition, mental health assessments
• Monthly group session attendance (for the first 4 months of the program). There will be a mix of parent only sessions, child only sessions, and integrated (children and parents) sessions.
• Group sessions will cover topics such as healthy eating, improving/strengthening self-esteem and self-efficacy, physical fitness, meal preparation, peer support, etc.
• Monthly individualized clinic visits (may be medically orientated, mental health orientated, or combined depending on each individual’s needs)
• Group booster sessions will be offered after completion of the 6-month program

The Team:
• Dr. Daniel Flanders – Pediatrician
• Dr. Mirisse Foroughe – Child and Family Psychologist
• Karen Balko – Registered Dietitian
• Paula Ng – Registered Dietitians
• Natalie Huang – Registered Dietitian
• Maggie Murray – Program Coordinator

We would find it very helpful if you can give us feedback about the following:

  1. Is it reasonable to expect families to come in for monthly 2 to 3 hour visits over a 6 month period of time? Too demanding? Not frequent enough to make a real difference?
  2. Many of these services are not covered by OHIP. We are trying very hard to set up a funding model so that we can provide these services to families at no or very low cost. If this proves impossible, what do you think would be a fair and reasonable price to pay for a service like this?
  3. On what should the program put most emphasis?
    1. Strategies to lose weight?
    2. Strategies to improve self esteem and self efficacy?
    3. Strategies to improve physical fitness?
    4. Strategies to become generally more healthy?
  4. What approach do you think would be more helpful and supportive: one-on-one sessions with the MD, dietitian, psychologist etc? Or group sessions?
  5. Is the timeline for the program appropriate? i.e. is six months too long? Should it be a year? 3 months?
  6. Any other comments would be greatly appreciated.

Please write your feedback in comments below or email them to admin@kindercarepediatrics.ca