Pediatric Weight Management
Weight loss for kids in St. Cloud
As parents, we want our children to enjoy a long, healthy life. Poor eating habits and too little activity at a young age can have long-term health effects that can carry into adulthood. The CentraCare Pediatric Weight Management Program can set up your child for success by helping your family find joy in mealtimes and healthy movement.
Choose the CentraCare Pediatric Weight Management Program
- We are the only pediatric weight management program in Central Minnesota.
- Our team offers one-on-one appointments for you and your family.
- A pediatrician board-certified in obesity medicine works with you, your child’s primary doctor and registered dietitians to develop a treatment plan.
- We received special training in techniques to help kids and teens manage their weight. This means that we factor in mental and physical developmental stages. We also use language suited to the age of the child when talking about health and behavioral changes.
- Our approach to behavior change includes the entire family. We look at family dynamics and all household members before making recommendations. Working on changes as a household leads to better support and more success.
Take the first step
Review the video above and then complete our five-minute, online Health History Questionnaire. Please contact us at weightmgmt@centracare.com or 320-240-2828 with any questions.
From there, we will arrange an initial consultation which involves a full assessment with our team and medical exam.
After the assessment, our weight management team will follow up with you and your child to address any medical problems discovered. We work with your family to incorporate lifestyle changes into your daily lives. Please know the single, most effective tool for weight loss will be the amount of time spent working with us, learning and practicing healthy behaviors.
Does insurance cover weight loss for kids?
This program is exclusively insurance billed. Your out-of-pocket cost will depend on your child’s insurance plan.
How to talk to kids about weight loss?
Talking to a child about weight can be a sensitive topic and a challenge for parents. Our goal is to help your child have a healthy body, but our focus will be on lifestyle changes, rather than weight loss, to support self-esteem and body positivity. Read these talking points and conversation starters to help prepare your child for your upcoming appointment.
When should I be concerned about my child's weight?
We don’t have a magic number for when you should be concerned about your child’s weight. However, doctors often compare a child’s height and weight to determine future risk for medical problems. Yearly visits with your child's pediatrician/primary care doctor can allow you to review these numbers and track your child's trends over time. Read these tips for when to know it’s time to discuss your child’s weight with a doctor.
How can I help my child lose weight?
Children continue to grow and experience changes in their bodies through late adolescence/early adulthood. It is normal for them to gain weight. Some children gain weight faster than expected, however, and this puts them at risk of obesity, along with other health problems. Providing scheduled, balanced meals and snacks to your children will teach them to eat a variety of foods and to listen to their own hunger and fullness cues so their bodies will grow the way they were meant to grow. We recommend following Ellyn Satter’s Division of Responsibility in Feeding to create a healthy food environment for your family/children. In this model, parents/caregivers determine what food is offered, when it's offered and where it will be eaten. Children determine if they will eat and how much to eat.
