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IN THE COMMUNITY OWL Program Helps Kids Wise Up About Weight The prevalence rate of obesity and overweight in children and adolescents has risen significantly around the world in the last 25 years. During this period, the rate of overweight and obesity among Americans has increased two- to threefold. The rate among African-American and Hispanic young people currently stands at 40 to 45 percent; among non-Hispanic whites, 25 to 30 percent. Health care professionals at Children's Hospital Boston are working to address the issues of youth overweight through prevention and treatment programs. One of them is Optimal Weight for Life (OWL), the largest pediatric obesity program in New England, caring for more than 500 new patients each year. At the OWL multidisciplinary care clinic, physicians, nurse practitioners, dieticians, and psychologists provide care, develop treatment based on clinical research, and promote public awareness and prevention efforts. According to David Ludwig, director of the OWL program and an HMS associate professor of pediatrics at Children's, overweight and obesity are influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, diet, physical activity, and psychological factors. OWL combines expertise in nutrition, endocrinology, gastroenterology, and behavioral medicine to develop effective lifestyle interventions. Among the services provided are comprehensive medical examinations, nutritional counseling, physical activities training, behavior modification, and group therapy. "Fundamental changes in the social environment will be needed to address what is essentially becoming a public health crisis," Ludwig said. "Prevention and treatment of adolescent overweight and obesity requires increased funding for research and effective treatment programs. Since overweight and obesity are found to be quickly developing in genetically stable populations, the childhood obesity epidemic can be attributed to adverse environmental factors. Solutions to these negative environmental conditions exist, but will require measures to change serious problems in food quality, policy, and advertising and also increased funding for public programs for school children, like physical education." HMS faculty are invited to take part in the OWL program. For more information, please contact OWL at 617-355-5159. --Jamae Kawauchi