YMCA of Austin’s MEND program includes an hour of exercise while kids’ parents talk about how to support healthier choices.
Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas has had a program that focused on nutrition and exercise for kids who are at risk for obesity or already obese. Now it is teaming up with experts at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas to use its experts as well as expand the obesity program to not just focus on nutrition and exercise but also diseases that often are seen in people who are obese.
Children participating in the program will have access to experts in heart, diabetes and hormones, kidneys, liver and mental health. Doctors will be watching for Type 2 diabetes, which more teens are getting; heart and kidney disease, asthma, sleep apnea and bone and joint problems.
Dr. Steve Abrams is the chair of pediatrics at Dell Medical School at UT Austin.
One of the experts that will be involved in the program is Dell Medical School’s Dr. Steven Abrams, a nationally recognized expert in childhood nutrition who helped write new guidelines about fruit juice and children. He will be leading the redesign of the program along with the Department of Population Health at the school.
“This comprehensive program is designed to address multiple, complex medical issues that often go hand-in-hand with obesity,” Abrams said in a press release. “We look forward to addressing these issues and helping children and their families live healthier lives.”
