Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH) provides hope and healing for children and their families. Nationally recognized for its pediatric care, innovative research, and medical education, this hospital transforms big ideas into big impact. When PCH staff had a big idea about improving the health of children living with type 2 diabetes through a 12-week intensive lifestyle-management program, a Mobilize AZ grant made it possible.

This pilot program funded a dietitian who worked with families on one goal at a time, building trust and reducing the overwhelm of making big health and lifestyle changes. Micro lessons like how to make frozen veggies taste good, choose quick snacks to put in lunchboxes, and navigate dining out were tailored to family needs and schedules. To close the gap between learning and doing, the program supplied families with tools such as baking sheets to roast vegetables, bento boxes to help with portion control, gift cards to buy exercise gear, and more.

In just three months, the program dramatically improved wellbeing for children living with obesity, prediabetes, or type 2 diabetes — even with the pivot to telehealth and other required changes due to COVID-19:

The PCH lifestyle management program for children demonstrated how quickly and dramatically the body can benefit from diet and lifestyle changes. Beginning in 2022, this model will continue and expand, with patients and families meeting 1:1 with a dietitian for four weeks after diagnosis to get personalized support on their healing journey.

*The body mass index in children and adolescents

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