Children's Hospital Of Iowa Offers Weight Management For Teen Girls

Weight management specialists at Children's Hospital of Iowa within University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City are offering the Better Eating, Stronger Teens (BEST) program.

This pilot program is for seventh- through 12th-grade girls who are overweight or at risk for being overweight. After the first 10-week session, services will be extended to adolescent boys.

The BEST program is a comprehensive weight management program for teenage girls and at least one parent. The program meets for two hours each Tuesday for group and exercise sessions, and one hour on Thursdays for session devoted to exercise alone. The Tuesday and Thursday sessions both begin at 5:30 p.m.

The BEST program is designed to focus on issues surrounding eating and exercise. The program offers group sessions to support changes in behavior and thinking patterns. The exercise session will provide a fun way to be more active and increase fitness levels.

The initial group sessions will begin on Tuesday, April 10. An assessment visit is required and will be scheduled before program participation. The program will be limited to 10 families. Interested participants are encouraged to contact Krista Mace at 319-384-7900 by March 23.

This Children's Hospital of Iowa program is sponsored by the departments of Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Food and Nutrition, and UI Hospitals and Clinics, with support from Children's Miracle Network.

Children's Hospital of Iowa serves children and their families at its main campus in Iowa City and satellite clinics in communities throughout Iowa. A 165-bed "hospital within a hospital," Children's Hospital of Iowa benefits from the sophisticated services and comprehensive resources of UI Hospitals and Clinics. Child magazine ranks Children's Hospital of Iowa among the top 20 children's hospitals in the nation.