Iowa's children are less active today than in the past. The Iowa Association of Physical Health Education and Recreation and Dance reported that only 56 percent of Iowa boys and 61 percent of Iowa girls reached the recommended health standards. University of Iowa Children's Hospital is conducting an adolescent weight management group in April. Karen Nelson, PhD, psychologist in child psychiatry at UI Children's Hospital, talks about a the program:
What is the name of the weight management program for adolescents?
Shapedown Just for Teens. It's a national, empirically supported treatment initiated at the University of California-San Francisco.
Who should consider participating in the Shapedown group?
The group for is boys and girls, aged seven through 12, who are overweight—more than 125 percent of their recommended weight for their age and height, as well as their parents.
What are the goals of the group?
The goals are weight loss, overall, lifestyle changes—looking at how food is used and incorporating it with a sense of esteem, feelings, and how food is used in families for communication—as well as a lot of information about nutrition.
Who will staff the Shapedown program?
Ronnye Wieland, ARNP, a nurse practitioner with the UI Family Care Center, and therapist with more than 20 years of experience with weight-related issues; Angela Charsha, an exercise specialist and associate director, University of Iowa Rec Services; a nutritionist, and I lead the program.
How is the program funded?
We receive support from UI Children's Hospital; my department—Psychiatry; Family Medicine; Pediatrics;Food and Nutrition Services; the Noon Rotary Club; and the Iowa Children's Miracle Network.
There is a $180 enrollment fee for the 10-week program. Additional costs will be billed to medical and mental health insurance.
When will the program start? Where? What time?
Tuesday, April 1 through the first Thursday in June are our target dates. We're still recruiting students and prior to beginning April 1. Interested individuals should schedule an intake interview with me or Ronnye Wieland. We meet at the Family Care Center in the evening.
How many weeks or months will the group meet?
It's a 10-week program, so we'll begin on April 1 and end that first week of June.
What should attendants of the program expect if they join the group?
They will exercise together on Thursdays, and during the fall program, that was everybody's favorite part. Parents and kids exercised together and we thought they would dread it, but our exercise leader is so excellent, that turned out to be the favorite part.
Tuesday is when families receive nutrition education together. Each one completes a workbook with assignments every week. The teens meet separately from the parents for part of the time and end by having the teens and parents meet together.
What is the message you and your colleagues hope to teach, long-term to the adolescents that join the Shapedown group?
Focus on accepting your body, build, and make up; and making good lifestyle choices for health.
What is the cost of the 10-week program?
For an individual, the cost is $180 plus insurance co-payments. The Iowa City Schools have given us some financial support for Iowa City district students and the Noon Rotary Club money will assist families outside the Iowa City school district.
If someone is interested in learning more about Shapedown, whom should they contact?
They can go to our Web site www.uihealthcare.com/healthyweight, or call the Family Care Center's Counseling and Health Promotion Center at 319-384-7900.
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