Statistics show that 70 percent of overweight adolescents remain overweight as adults. Early intervention is the key to breaking this unhealthy cycle, and the Lutheran Weight Management Center offers a program that can help. The ACE Program promotes healthier eating and increased activity to achieve weight loss in overweight children. The goal is to instill positive lifestyle habits that will improve health and will last a lifetime.
Novartis Nutrition developed the ACE Program in an effort to assist clinicians in treating overweight and obese youth. Specific goals for individual patients may include improvement in one or more baseline co-morbid conditions, as well as measurable changes in identified problem areas such as eating habits, food choices and physical activity. The ACE Program is based on expert committee recommendations that indicate frequent clinic visits, continuous monitoring and reinforcement and support for both patients and their families are required to improve success rates.
Who Should Consider This Program
The Ace Program targets patients with a Body Mass Index equal to or greater than the 95th percentile per growth charts based on age.
Program Overview
- Clinic visits are scheduled weekly for the first 16 weeks. This phase includes physician/nurse visits and age-appropriate group sessions that include a behaviorist, exercise specialist and a registered dietitian.
- The second phase lasts for 10 weeks and includes an educational component and exercise time. Ongoing maintenance is encouraged and can be reinforced by Staying on Track, a program that includes additional education and exercise. ACE Program members become lifetime Staying on Track members.
- Medical supervision is individualized based on the patient's medical status at baseline, presence or absence of co-morbid conditions and rate of weight loss.
- The program is based on semi-structured diet plans that provide 1200-1800 kcal/day, including a combination of OPTIFAST™ Formula Nutritional Bars and self-prepared foods. Individual assessment is provided to determine appropriate calorie level and use of formula. Calorie counting is not stressed and has been replaced with instruction in making healthier food choices.
- In-depth counseling is provided at each clinic visit for patients and families to develop life-long healthy eating, activity and lifestyle habits. The curriculum is designed to be skill based and focuses on the need for long-term behavior change.
- Program materials are written for group treatment and feature a set of materials for groups of youth. Consistent materials for groups of parents and other family members or caregivers are presented separately from youth patients. This separate, yet concise tent approach allows for treatment and participation of both parents and families while facilitating the need for youth to have a group of peers with whom they may openly share their thoughts, struggles and challenges.
- Recommendations are made to increase the physical activity level of both patients and families.
