Tempe 480.968.5673
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Glendale 602.374.3374
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Phoenix 602.441.3305
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Chandler480.447.1165
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Tempe 480.968.5673
Glendale 602.374.3374
Phoenix 602.441.3305
Chandler480.447.1165
Valley Medical Weight Loss in Tempe, Phoenix, and Glendale, AZ, offers weight loss for youths ages 12 and up.
Valley Medical Weight Loss in Tempe, Phoenix, and Glendale, AZ, offers weight loss for youths ages 12 and up.
Our Youth Program includes a month’s supply of the following:
Valley Medical offers two programs for our Youth patients. Youths may be eligible for an appetite suppressant named Phentermine. This medication is FDA-approved for ages 16 and up. It is up to the discretion of the physician to determine eligibility for each patient. Patients will need to qualify for all appetite medications based on medical history and BMI.
In addition to this program, Valley Medical also offers a monthly GLP-1 program for our patients 12 years and older.
Dose increase subject to additional cost.
Youths may be eligible for an appetite suppressant named Phentermine. This medication is FDA-approved for ages 16 and up. It is up to the discretion of the physician to determine eligibility for each patient. Patients will need to qualify for all appetite medications based on medical history and BMI.
GLP-1 may have some additional benefits for the following diseases:
Heart Disease / High Blood Pressure / Inflammation /Blood Sugar / Obesity
Losing weight in youth can reduce many health risks that come with obesity including:
Heart Disease / Diabetes/ High Blood Pressure / Inflammation / Shorter Life Span
More than 30 percent of American children are obese or overweight. This is triple the number than in 1980. Poor nutrition is everywhere; only 2% of school-age children consistently eat well. Kids are less active overall due to today’s fast-paced but sedentary lifestyles. 35% of school-age children watch an average of 5 or more hours of TV on a school day. Studies show overweight kids miss school 4 times as much as normal weight kids. Low-income and minority children are most seriously at risk.
Unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year. Obesity is among the easiest medical conditions to recognize but most difficult to treat. A child who is overweight or obese is more likely to be overweight or obese as an adult. Obese children are now developing health problems that used to be seen only in adults. When these problems begin in childhood, they often become more severe when the child becomes an adult.
Children with obesity are at risk for developing these health problems:
A few extra pounds does not suggest obesity. However, it may indicate a tendency to gain weight easily and a need for changes in diet and/or exercise. Generally, a child is not considered obese until the weight is at least 10 percent higher than what is recommended for their height and body type. Obesity most commonly begins between the ages of 5 and 6, or during adolescence. Studies have shown that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult.
Child and adolescent obesity is also associated with increased risk of emotional problems. Teens with weight problems tend to have much lower self-esteem, are less popular with their peers, and are more likely to be teased or bullied. Depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder can also occur.
The causes of obesity are complex and include genetic, biological, behavioral and cultural factors. Obesity occurs when a person eats more calories than the body burns up. If one parent is obese, there is a 50 percent chance that their children will also be obese. However, when both parents are obese, their children have an 80 percent chance of being obese. Although certain medical disorders can cause obesity, less than 1 percent of all obesity is caused by physical problems. Obesity in childhood and adolescence can be related to:
Obese children need a thorough medical evaluation by a pediatrician or family physician to consider the possibility of a physical cause. In the absence of a physical disorder, the only way to lose weight is to reduce the number of calories being eaten and to increase the level of physical activity. Lasting weight loss can only occur when there is self-motivation. Since obesity often affects more than one family member, making healthy eating and regular exercise a family activity can improve the chances of successful weight control for the child or adolescent.
Obesity frequently becomes a lifelong issue. The reason most obese adolescents gain back their lost pounds is that they tend to go back to their old habits of eating and exercising. An obese adolescent must therefore learn to eat and enjoy healthy foods in moderate amounts and to exercise regularly to maintain a desired weight. Parents of an obese child can improve their child’s self-esteem by emphasizing their strengths and positive qualities rather than just focusing on their weight problem.
When a child or adolescent with obesity also has emotional problems, a child and adolescent psychiatrist can work with the child’s family physician to develop a comprehensive treatment plan. Such a plan would include reasonable weight loss goals, dietary and physical activity management, behavior modification, and family involvement.
The physician encourages weekly visits into our offices for blood pressure checks and to weigh the patient to document progress. During these follow-up visits, the parent or legal guardian may sign a release form so the youth may continue to be treated by the physician without the parent or legal guardian present. Because the patient is a youth and under the age of 18, they must be accompanied by a parent and/or legal guardian on the first visit. Parents or legal guardians will be required to attend with minors in our office every 12 weeks or as requested by our physician. If a minor has been absent from our clinic for 90 days or longer, or the physician wishes to change the minor’s medication, the parent must attend the visit with the minor.
Our weight loss clinic, recently named Best of the Desert for Weight Loss 2022, is a top destination for patients seeking a comfortable, hassle-free experience where they don’t have to feel judged or intimidated. Our affordable programs help to improve quality of life and restore self-confidence, which is essential when it comes to our younger patients. We believe every person deserves to feel secure, at ease, and empowered in their body, and we offer state-of-the-art solutions to achieve each client’s individual goals for transformation.
