The Nutrition and Fitness for Life program in the Boston Medical Center (BMC) Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Nutrition, is an innovative clinical and community-centered obesity prevention and treatment program. Through unique interventions, initiatives and collaborations, Nutrition and Fitness for Life seeks to support children to age 18 and their families in leading healthier lives.
Nuestro trabajo
The Nutrition and Fitness for Life program serves approximately 400 families through its two arms, provides education and training to primary and specialty health providers, community leaders, undergraduate students and medical students.
- In the community. The Nutrition and Fitness for Life program’s community branch aims to build the capacity of communities to support Boston youth and families in developing healthier lifestyles by developing and implementing nutrition education and fitness programming for children and families.
- In the healthcare field. Nutrition and Fitness for Life develops and hosts workshops, conferences, and seminars for health professionals and area youth workers. The program also serves as a consultant group for new pediatric weight management programs.
- For the environment. The program also advocates for positive environmental changes and health policies and is involved in public health research and educational activities.
Our History
Nutrition and Fitness for Life was founded in 2002 by Caroline M. Apovian, MD, who at the time directed BMC’s Center for Weight Management and Nutrition, and Barry Zuckerman, MD, then chair of the Department of Pediatrics, as a clinical pilot project to identify the feasibility and success of an adolescent weight management clinic. The pilot clinic offered medical, nutritional, and physical activity counseling with adjunct initiatives. The program was expanded under the leadership of Carine Lenders, MD, and clinical dietician Vivien Morris, who focused on the pediatric weight management clinic and community-based interventions.
Hi-5 Way
In 2009, the clinic began a secondary prevention program called “Hi-5 Way” that focuses on children from 6 months to 6 years of age who are overweight or rapidly gaining weight to an extent that they may face increased risk. For more information about Hi-5 Way, please see our program brochure (PDF) and the eligibility criteria below.
Contáctenos
Departamento de Pediatría
Fax: 617.414.3644
Departamentos y programas relacionados
Atención primaria pediátrica
Atención pediátrica
Medicina del Adolescente
Medicina familiar
Cardiology (Pediatrics)
Otorrinolaringología (Pediatría)
Endocrinology (Pediatrics)
Nutrition (Pediatrics)
Psychiatry (Pediatrics)
Pulmonary and Allergy Clinic (Pediatrics)
Tratamientos y servicios
The Nutrition and Fitness for Life program's specialty weight management clinic provides a comprehensive family and behavioral approach, as this is the sole evidence-based approach in pediatrics that has proven successful in treating obesity in children. However, many families are not ready for behavior management and need counseling sessions on roles and responsibilities, communication, and motivation.
El programa básico se centra en la motivación y la disposición al cambio. The initial visit includes a physician and dietitian visit for in-depth medical, nutritional, and physical activity assessment of the patient, as well as a psychological screening. Al final de la visita, se elabora un plan de acción para la familia.
A typical patient receives the following services each year:
- Valoración y valoración por parte del médico y el dietista
- A lifestyle change intervention (action plan) with intensive treatment during 6 clinic visits within 3 to 6 months, followed by maintenance visits up to 1 year
- Plan de tratamiento psicológico basado en la evaluación inicial
- Visitas de mantenimiento y prevención de recaídas con el equipo clínico
Complex Medical Issues
El equipo clínico de Nutrition and Fitness for Life hace un seguimiento más frecuente de los niños con problemas médicos más complejos. Care plans are developed in conjunction with primary care and other subspecialties, such as cardiology, endocrinology, otolaryngology (ear, nose, and throat or ENT), psychology/psychiatry, and sleep medicine.
Approximately 13 percent of Nutrition and Fitness for Life patients require ongoing mental health counseling because stigmatization, depression, and diminished quality of life from teasing and social marginalization are part of the profound psychological impact of being overweight.
Duración
Nutrition and Fitness for Life is designed as a 12-month clinical program that includes 3 to 6 months of intensive treatment followed by maintenance sessions. El programa adapta la atención a las necesidades de cada familia.
Elegibilidad
A referral from a primary care physician (PCP) is required for evaluation and treatment in the Nutrition and Fitness for Life clinic.
| Hi-5 Way (Secondary Prevention) 6 months to age 2 | Hi-5 Way (Secondary Prevention) 2 to 6 years | Nutrition and Fitness for Life Clinic De 6 a 18 años o más | |
| Child Size or Rapidity of Weight Gain | Weight-for-Length greater than or equal to 95th percentile — and/or — Cruce de percentiles de peso para la edad
| BMI-for-Age greater than or equal to 95th percentile — or — BMI greater than 22 kg/m2 | BMI-for-Age greater than 95th percentile |
| Intentos previos de controlar el peso | Not applicable | Not applicable | At least 3 to 6 months trial with their primary care physician (PCP) and then 3 to 6 months of work with an outpatient registered dietitian/nutritionist |
| Disposición al cambio | Parent/guardian is in preparation for action | Parent/guardian is in preparation for action | For a Child ≤ 12 Years For a Teenager (13–18) |
Nuestro equipo
- Aimée Lim-Miller, MSW, LICSW
Trabajadora social - Kathy Ireland, MS, RD, LDN
Dietista Clínica y Coordinadora de Programas - Eunice Santos
Administrative and Scheduling Coordinator
Para profesionales médicos
Referir a un paciente
We are committed to providing a high level of assistance to our physician colleagues both within BMC and outside of the BMC system. Whether for diagnostics, treatment, a single consultation, second opinion, or ongoing follow-up, our physicians will keep the consulting physician fully informed of the patient's treatment plan and coordinate long-term management.
- For BMC PCPs: Please complete the referral form in MyHealth.
- For Non-BMC PCPs: Please complete referral form, attach the patient’s growth charts and relevant recent lab work, and return the form via fax.
Admit or Transfer a Patient
Para transferir o admitir a un paciente, llame a nuestro servicio de admisión de pacientes de guardia, accesible el 24/7.
Pager: 617.638.5795, #1111.
Reconocimientos
The Nutrition and Fitness for Life clinic has received funding for patients and clinical operations from the BMC Department of Pediatrics; BMC Kids Fund; American Heart Association; Bank of America; Boston Red Sox Foundation; Fleet Perpetual Trust for Charitable Giving; Loomis, Sayles & Company, LP; Massachusetts Vitamin Litigation Settlement; and the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation.
Nutrition and Fitness for Life thanks the following individuals for their service to the program:
Former Program Staff and Consultants
- Tara Agrawal, Maestría en Salud Pública
- Caroline Apovian, Doctora en Medicina, FACN
- Lee Banh, MS, RD
- Melanie Bradford, MS, RD
- Ángela Brown
- Emily Burritt, MS, RD, CNSD
- Shirley Cole
- Diana Cullum-Dugan, RD, LD
- Emily Cummings, MS, RD
- Seth Eberlin
- Judith Fallows, MEd
- Julia Hincman
- Cheryl Jesuit, MS, RD
- Tanya Jones
- Lakshmi Kolagotla, Doctor en Medicina, MPH
- Preeta Kuty, Doctora en Medicina
- Shaheen Lakhani, PsyD.
- Jason Langheier
- Kayoung Lee, Doctor en Medicina, PhD
- Dra. Margaret Marino
- Holly Oh, Doctora en Medicina
- Lauren Oliver, MS, RD
- Página de Renea
- Hope Parsons, RD, LDN
- Judy Philips, MS, RD, LDN
- Gita Rao
- Amaru Sánchez
- Esther Shamir
- Rishi Shukla
- Vijay Srinivasan Doctor en Medicina, MPH
- Pooja Tandon, Doctora en Medicina
- Laura Vinci
- Robert Vinci, Doctor en Medicina
- Laura Wroblewski, RD, LDN
Former Community Volunteers/Interns and Consultants
- Medios afiliados, LLC
- Sarah Bartellman
- Dra. Jessica Blom-Hoffman
- Analyn Brondyke
- Wil Bullock
- Seth Coburn
- Kerri Connelly
- Ashley Decker
- Rachel DeGarmo
- Neville DePass
- Nativita D’Haitii, RD
- Judith Fallows, MEd
- Deborah Fogel
- Pamela Griffin
- Doreen Guay
- Kelly Horton
- Abby Isaacson
- Dra. Carline Jean-Baptiste
- Eva José
- Ellen Kaspik
- Amanda Kirpitch
- Liana Larkisova
- Phoebe Lott
- Michele Lye
- Julianne Marvin
- Samara Mbugua
- Carolyn Murphy
- Lucilda Dassardo-Cooper
- Koren Melfi
- Hannah Milch
- Kathleen Minihan
- Darrick Mitchell
- Elizabeth Palazzo
- Maria Pontes Ferriera
- Lindsay Rayfield-ElShazly
- Amy Richmond
- Tamara Rudich
- Alina Schmidt
- Esther Shamir
- Khalia Smith
- Bárbara Tanenbaum
- Michael Tang
- Scott Tropy, MPH
- Ruth Weinstein
- Marcianne Wittwer
- Cindy Xi
Educación y formación
Nutrition and Fitness for Life participates in various education and training programs for medical professionals, including:
- Advanced pediatric nutrition elective for fourth-year Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine students
- Integración vertical de la nutrición y el manejo de peso en el plan de estudios de la escuela de medicina
- CME y CEU anuales para profesionales de la salud con intereses en el manejo de peso ambulatorio pediátrico
- Educación nutricional para familias y líderes comunitarios
- Más de 200 presentaciones regionales y nacionales