The new weight management program was introduced by The Unterberg Children’s Hospital and is designed to “foster long-term healthy habits in children and prevent obesity-related health issues,” the hospital, which is part of West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health, said in a news release.
The program is open to kids ages 12-18 with a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile and involves in-person and hybrid visits, as well as community-based approaches. Care teams include an obesity-medicine pediatrician and registered dietitians.
About 14% of adolescents in New Jersey are overweight and 10.3% have obesity, according to state data.
A number of health systems have pushed further into weight management services in recent months. WVU Medicine in Morgantown, W.Va., is piloting an obesity management program for eligible employees and covered family members, which includes coverage of the popular class of weight loss drugs known as GLP-1s, or glucagon-like receptor agonists, for eligible patients.
Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic also recently launched a weight loss telemedicine service.
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