HealthWorks! Promoting Healthier Eating Habits and Increased Physical Activity
HealthWorks! is a family-based program in the Heart Institute at Cincinnati Children’s for children and teens with overweight or obesity conditions.
HealthWorks! is part of the Center for Better Health and Nutrition (CBHN), a national role model in combating childhood obesity that treats more than 900 patients annually.
HealthWorks! promotes healthier eating habits and increased physical activity. The program is designed to meet the needs of our patients and their families by helping them set realistic, achievable goals.
HealthWorks! program methods include:
- An evaluation by our multidisciplinary clinical team, which may include a physician, nurse, nurse practitioner, registered dietitian and an exercise specialist
- Nutrition counseling to establish a healthy eating pattern:
- Meal plans that are tailored to food preferences of child or teen
- Meal portions that meet energy needs of the child or teen
- Promotion of a physically active and fun lifestyle
- Family-centered, behavioral approach
- Group exercise sessions offered three evenings a week at Burnet Campus (main hospital location)
Healthy Weight Is a Family Affair
To be the most successful in reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, a young person needs the support and encouragement of family and caregivers. We include and involve parents and family members in our program as much as possible.
How to Get a Referral to HealthWorks!
To evaluate your child in the HealthWorks! program, we must have a referral from your child’s primary or specialty healthcare provider. For more information or to schedule your initial appointment, please call us at 513-636-4305.
Getting Started
Want to get started while waiting for your first visit? Here are some tips from our HealthWorks! experts:- Limit screen time to less than two hours per day (TV, video games, smartphones and computers)
- Get at least one hour of physical activity every day; plan to walk or play outside
- Follow a healthy eating pattern:
| Try to have MORE: | Try to have LESS: |
| Fruits | Sugary drinks |
| Vegetables | Sugary foods |
| Whole grains | Processed, packaged foods |
| Lean protein | Fast food |
| Family dinners | Restaurant meals |
Our team is dedicated to improving the lives of our patients and their families with compassion, commitment, education and the best possible care to help them meet their weight management goals.
