Participant Requirements and Eligibility

Requirements

Participants must meet the following requirements to join the Pediatric Weight Control Program:

  • The child or adolescent must have a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than the 95th percentile according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) BMI chart. Children or adolescents with a BMI greater than the 85th percentile may also be eligible if they have an overweight parent, a medical complication (comorbidity), or a family history of comorbidities. You can use this calculator to determine your child's BMI. Then, compare that value to these tables:

    95th Percentile BMI
    Age Girls Boys
    8 20.6 20.0 
    9 21.8 21.0
    10  23.0  22.2 
    11 24.0 23.2 
    12  25.2  24.2 
    13  26.2  25.2 
    14  27.2  26.0 
    15  28.0  26.8 
    85th Percentile BMI
    Age Girls Boys
    8 18.32 17.96
    9 19.12 18.63
    10  19.98 19.39
    11 20.87 20.20
    12  21.74 21.02
    13  22.58 21.85
    14  23.35 22.66
    15  24.04 23.45

  • At least one legal guardian must agree to attend each weekly session with his/her child.

  • Families must be sure before they enroll that they will not miss more than two sessions in a row. They must also make an effort to attend all or almost all of the 25 sessions. This ensures a child’s progress is not disrupted.

  • Both the parent AND the child must WANT to join the program.

Please note

Making lasting changes in eating and exercise habits is very difficult and requires a serious commitment from both children and their parents. To enroll, BOTH the child and legal guardian must agree to complete the program together. Teamwork is the key to success. We cannot enroll children who are not interested in making this commitment, even if their parents are very interested. If a child is not willing to commit to the program, it may be better to delay participation until the child is ready. 

Please contact us to discuss this further: