With child weight gain on the rise, hospitals innovate

Holiday weight loss

Meanwhile, doctors generally agree that most weight loss in children occurs during holidays when they are less busy with schoolwork.

Many medical institutions have started offering weight loss training camps during winter and summer vacations to help children and adolescents lose weight in a healthy way. In 2024, Xiaotangshan Hospital in Beijing hosted one such camp.

The coaching team developed personalized training plans for each child, which included a variety of physical activities, balanced nutrition and psychological support.

According to a news release on the hospital's website, the children who participated in the summer camp lost an average of roughly 6 kg over the course of 28 days, demonstrating a significant improvement in their physical fitness.

Since 2022, hospitals, including Henan Children's Hospital, Hunan People's Hospital and Nanjing Children's Hospital, have organized weight loss camps during winter and summer vacations.

"Physical weight loss for children and adolescents also requires attention to methods and approaches. Since they are still growing and developing, it's essential for them to engage in sufficient exercise, but not excessive amounts. Therefore, a more scientific approach is necessary," said Yang from the Jiangxi children hospital.

She also mentioned that hospitals in Jiangxi will increasingly utilize new technologies to improve the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care for individuals with obesity.

"With the establishment of the Jiangxi Province Obesity Alliance, we are enhancing digital management. For instance, we will implement an app to collect all patient data into a unified database," she said.

"When a new patient registers online, we will, if necessary, match them with specialized nurses and nutritionists who will continuously monitor their weight loss journey. Additionally, we will incorporate AI for intelligent management to provide better support for obese patients," she added.