Michelle Obama's Message Heard by Community Care Physicians in the Capital Region

LATHAM, NY (02/24/2010)(readMedia)-- Community Care Physicians, the largest multi-specialty medical group in the Capital Region, is pioneering a new program to combat adolescent obesity. The NICE Weight Transitions Program, the first of its kind in the Capital Region, is specifically designed for adolescents 11 to 18 years of age who are at risk for obesity, are currently overweight or obese, or who just want to change their behaviors for overall health improvement. NICE, an acronym standing for Nutrition, Intelligence, Confidence and Energy, is an 8 week program that integrates a health coach, personal trainer, nutritionist and behavioral counselor to develop individualized goals, action/exercise plans and measurements of success to improve the health of each adolescent in the program.

The first session of the NICE Weight Transitions Program will begin the second week of March and run for 8 weeks. Teens enrolled will attend classes twice a week for 2 hours, from 4pm-6pm or 6pm to 8pm, with open gym sessions available on Fridays. The cost of the program totals less than $8 a session.

"The NICE program is a multidisciplinary approach to combat a very serious condition in this area," says Denisa Hluchova, Health Coach and Program Manager of NICE Weight Transitions. "We look at each contributing factor in the adolescent's life. We focus on the individual child, but also pursue family-based interventions to ensure the teen has a supportive environment to help him or her maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle."

The goal of the NICE Weight Transitions Program is to give adolescents the tools they need to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Therefore, even after the conclusion of the 8 week program, adolescents can utilize the fitness equipment during weekly open gym sessions and can stay in contact with the staff via phone, email or in person.

In January 2010, 8 adolescents were enrolled in a beta test for the NICE program at the Capital Region Health Park in Latham. These teens attended sessions twice a week, Mondays and Wednesdays, for 2 hours after school. After completing fitness assessments, nutritional and lifestyles evaluations, the staff of NICE developed individualized plans for each adolescent. So far, results are promising. At their midpoint evaluations, teens enrolled in the program were reported to have lost an average of 2 1/4 inches and .55% body fat. Equally as important is the improvement in self-esteem and confidence that was noted by the teens themselves.

"The NICE program has really helped me build self-confidence and learn the tools needed to eat healthier and exercise," said Kristin Wagner, age 18, a participant in the program. "Before joining the program, I never exercised or felt comfortable in my own skin. But now I have made so many friends who know what it is like to be looked at or treated differently because of your weight. I would recommend this NICE program to any teenager who just wants to feel better about themselves and look even better while doing it. I will use everything I have learned from the NICE program, fellow participants, trainers and the other staff for the rest of my life."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) helps identify overweight and obese children. According to the CDC, a BMI between the 85th and 94th percentiles indicates your child is overweight. A BMI in the 95th percentile or above indicates that your child is obese. However, BMI doesn't take into account a large degree of muscle or a large body frame. So, your child's doctor takes growth and development into consideration when doing the overall weight assessment.

The rates of obesity in New York are alarming and there is a need for the program in this area. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in New York and across the nation, especially in children. According to a report by Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), New York has the 18th highest percentage (32.9%) in the nation of overweight youths ages 10 to 17.

From a physician's perspective, there are challenges when it comes to children and their weight. Obesity is one of the easiest diseases to diagnose, but extremely difficult to treat. While most epidemics can be defeated with a pill or a vaccine, obesity requires people to change the way they eat and live; so in many ways it is much harder to successfully defeat.

Dr. Swatantra Mitta, Pediatrician from Clifton Park Pediatrics of Community Care Physicians, referred several of her patients into the NICE beta program and has even attended many of the sessions.

"It's not easy to find the inspiration to lose weight," says Dr. Mitta. "I see this program as a great resource for myself and other physicians. Since I referred patients into the program, I wanted to see what they were experiencing during the classes. There is great interaction with the team, each of whom brings something different to the table, and the children are motivated to improve. I am very pleased with the changes I see in my patients."

Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for many serious chronic diseases and conditions, including heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cancer and osteoarthritis; problems that will eventually be very expensive to maintain. "Obesity is a global problem that affects children physically and emotionally, but it also affects the family and society economically," says Dr. Mitta. "We have to change what we offer kids throughout their lives, from the lunches we offer in schools to what's available in supermarkets. Ideally, we need to work towards a system of prevention, beginning with newborns."

Failing to win the battle against obesity will mean premature death and disability for a large segment of New York residents. It's important to stop this trend early on in a child's life so we can slow this epidemic.

About Community Care Physicians, PC

Community Care Physicians, P.C. is a physician-owned, physician-governed, multi-specialty medical group with more than 180 physicians and other clinical providers, located in four counties surrounding the Albany, New York greater Capital District. Community Care Physicians medical services include Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Family Medicine, Aesthetic Laser, Audiology, Dermatology, Diabetic Education and Nutrition, General Surgery, Laboratory, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Occupational Medicine, Physical Therapy, Podiatry, Radiology, Radiation Oncology, Urgent Care, and Urology. For more information, visit www.communitycare.com.

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Contact Alexis Musto, Marketing Manager at Community Care Physicians, PC, for more information by phone at 518-213-0322, by email at amusto@communitycare.com, or by fax at 518-782-3798.