2005 Press Releases

Healthy LIFE® Pediatric Weight Management Program at Saint Barnabas Focuses On More Than Food

Livingston, N.J. -- Healthy LIFE® Pediatric Weight Management program at the Pediatric Specialty Center (Saint Barnabas Ambulatory Care Center), provides a blame-free, supportive environment for overweight children and their families to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Healthy LIFE® program––Healthy Lifestyle Is For Everyone––helps children reach a healthy weight and teaches them and their families how to make healthier choices without giving up satisfaction and enjoyment.

Henry Anhalt, D.O., Director of the Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and co-director of Healthy LIFE® program, has found the most successful obesity treatments for children involve the cooperation of the entire family and teach skills needed to sustain lifestyle change over the long term. Each week during group sessions, parents and children set realistic goals to make changes in eating and activity level. They develop plans for achieving these goals based on information and skills learned in the program.

“We help to remove the parent from the role of policeman and instead make him or her a coach who supports the progress of the child,” says Debra Gill, Ph.D., Behavioral Director of Healthy LIFE®. “Each week during group sessions the children get to publicly share their accomplishments, whether these may include eating a new food, trying a new activity or losing a pound. At the same time, parents have an opportunity to proudly acknowledge those efforts.”

In the behavior-based, year-long program, children are first evaluated and treated for any underlying medical problems. Next, they are enrolled in group sessions focused on cognitive and behavior change. Each child has an age-appropriate evaluation to assess his or her eating patterns. The program emphasizes positive reinforcement, “no-blame setting” and realistic goals for weight management.

Who is the Healthy LIFE® program for?
Healthy LIFE® program is for children and teens struggling to maintain a healthy weight or wanting to prevent or improve medical or social problems related to weight and lifestyle. In some cases, weight loss will be a goal, in others it will be more appropriate to maintain and “grow into” one’s weight. All participants can expect to reduce excess body fat and improve their physical fitness during the program. Through the program, children can experience feelings of pride in their accomplishments, companionship with others and partnerships with parents.

A Much Needed Program
Obesity in the pediatric population has become an epidemic, reports the National Institutes of Health. The Centers for Disease Control has found that 15 percent of school-aged children and 10 percent of preschool children are overweight. In addition to the recurrent social stigma that sometimes accompanies obesity, being overweight can result in health problems.

“We are dealing with conditions in children such as hypertension, high cholesterol, kids having difficulty walking and breathing,” says Dr. Anhalt, “And the root of the problem is obesity.”

Free Information Sessions
Interested families can attend an informative evening, meet the program directors, Henry Anhalt, D.O., and Debra Gill, Ph.D., and learn more about Healthy LIFE® Pediatric Weight Management. The sessions, which require registration, are held at the Pediatric Specialty Center, Saint Barnabas Ambulatory Care Center, 200 South Orange Avenue Livingston.

Call Karen Feniello at (973) 322-7223 to register, or for program information.

Date: May 7, 2005

Contact: Public Relations, (973) 322-9901

[ top ]