Angela Fals, MD, FAAP, gets a special satisfaction when the children she works with to lose weight have that first moment of recognition.

 

"There's just something that clicks in their minds that has to do with healthier living," said Fals, who heads a four-person team at Florida Hospital for Children that provides a multi-disciplinary approach to treating childhood obesity.

 

The team is comprised of Fals, a bariatric pediatrician specializing in weight management – a distinction held by few; Celine Passeri, PsyD, a child clinical psychologist; Lindy Moore, an exercise physiologist and Tamara Sims-Dorway, a registered dietician.

 

The four join forces to offer basic instruction on eating healthy, physical exercise, mental self-image and weight management. Classes often involve exercising or grocery shopping right along with families. One of the goals of the program is to point out the connection between nutrition, fitness, relaxation, relationships and body image.

 

"A lot of it has to do with family dynamics," Fals said. "We're trying really to be relevant instead of saying go and eat better and exercise more. We're trying to be very concrete, very hands-on and practical for the families. We want to be involved as much as possible together with them."

 

While other programs throughout the country may offer similar comprehensive treatment for obese children, what sets Florida Hospital for Children's Healthy 100 Kids program apart is its duration and intensity.

 

Families are contacted once a week for six months to a year, while the overall goal of the program is to follow children for up to five years. In the first month in June, area physicians referred 30 children between ages six and 10 with enrollment expected to reach 800 kids by the end of the first year. Children with body mass index above 85 percentile are eligible.

 

"Obesity decreases the lifespan of kids today," Fals said. "It's really rewarding and satisfying to see the kids and the families responding and knowing they're making permanent and positive changes for a lifetime."

 

The Healthy 100 Kids program gets its name from the goal for kids to live 100 healthy years. The program was paid for by donations from professional golfer Annika Sorenstam and her ANNIKA Foundation along with the Martin Andersen – Gracia Anderson Foundation and the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation.

 

"The ANNIKA Foundation strives to teach children about the importance of healthy living and an active lifestyle," Sorenstam said. "I think we can help kids' live healthier lives. It is our vision that steps we take against the largest pandemic facing America's youth will one day be best practices implemented nationwide."

 

Another aspect of the program involves partnering with Florida Hospital – Sanford Burnham Translational Research Institute for Metabolism and Diabetes to research the causes of childhood obesity. Fals said the research partner will help extend their work beyond children they can directly help. She's also looking to partner with area pediatricians and create a series of Continued Medical Education courses around some of their findings.

 

"We are hoping to provide both the community and the medical community with solid research studies and information that can be taken regarding childhood obesity that can affect prevention or treatment in the future," Fals said.

 

Marla Silliman, administrator of Florida Hospital for Children said the hospital is proud to be launching this new program.                                                                                       

 

 "The goal of Florida Hospital for Children's Healthy 100 Kids program is to create a comprehensive approach to answer a need in our community for better access to health and wellness programs for children," Silliman said. "Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for parents to have access to the care they need for their children."