Elements of Weight Wise

Here are the elements of Capital Health's Weight Wise plan that will be implemented over the next few months:

Increasingly we recognize weight is a big factor in successfully managing chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. We're incorporating weight management into Capital Health's successful approach to managing chronic diseases and making it easier for patients to get the advice, treatment and support they need. Similar to our successful approach in better management of diabetes services, we'll be providing a single point of entry for people with other chronic diseases which results in improved access to programs and services.

Provide a dedicated phone number for residents to call to get advice and information on weight management approaches and services including both prevention and treatment options within Capital Health and the community.

Establish the Pediatric Centre for Weight and Health, a specialty weight management clinic for children that will be located at the Stollery Children's Hospital. This Centre will provide children and families with weight management care through a multi-disciplinary team. It'll also provide an integrated program to ensure the most current and appropriate approaches to weight management are available to children and their families. This will include research, training, education and community and corporate partnerships and a dynamic and diverse training environment for researchers, students and health care professionals in this area.

Establish a Weight Management Clinic for Adults at the Royal Alexandra Hospital that will provide adults with the tools, information and support they need to make the changes in their lives to reach and maintain healthy weights. The clinic will support treatment, education, and research to create a "healthy weight" society. The clinic will see adults with a Body Mass Index of over 35 with complications of their obesity (i.e. chronic diseases such as heart disease or diabetes) or over 40 without complications. Body Mass Index is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by his/her height in metres squared. For example, a person who is 1.82 metres tall and weighs 77 kilograms has a BMI of approximately 23.

Expansion of the Bariatric Surgery Clinic at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. This means that people who are obese, and have significant related medical issues such as heart disease or diabetes, can more easily access surgical treatment options. This clinic boasts the only program in Canada that offers a multidisciplinary program that supports those who are morbidly obese both before and after surgery, including nutritional counseling, to reach healthy weights.

Strengthen research networks with the University of Alberta to support the advancement of understanding and treatment related to obesity, weight management, healthy weight and healthy living. This will provide us with access to the latest information and improve capacity within the region to ensure we provide leading-edge prevention and treatment programs.

Advocate for public policy that promotes healthy weight and active living similar to the work we've done with smoking. 

Establish and expand partnerships with community providers, businesses, schools, community agencies, and organizations such as the YMCA, which are involved with exercise, recreation, active living and weight management.

Identify joint initiatives that encourage residents to get moving and participating in healthy weights for healthy lives.

Disclaimer
Reviewed by Alberta clinical experts. Brought to you by HealthLink Alberta. Copyright.
This material is designed for information purposes only. It should not be used in place of medical advice, instruction and/or treatment. For more health advice call Capital Health Link at 780-408-LINK (5465) 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In Alberta, call Toll-free: 1-866-408-LINK (5465)