Childhood Weight & Metabolic Disorders

Addressing risk factors in childhood for metabolic disease helps prevent adult diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and infertility.  Most often weight gain and increases in BMI during the growth spurt are normal and precede vertical growth, however there is an epidemic of insulin resistance and obesity in children that should not be ignored.  We screen children between the ages of 8-17 for proper growth and development, insulin and glucose balance, cholesterol and blood pressure status as well as fitness and nutrition.  Children with insulin resistance are often at risk for the Metabolic Syndrome, a condition that is associated with a triad of risk factors including elevated blood pressure, elevated cholesterol and insulin resistance or pre-diabetes.

Parental education is an important component of the treatment plan for children and adolescent patients.