ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 7, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Diabetes Association (Association) and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) Diabetes & Obesity Program have joined forces to address the growing incidence of type 2 diabetes among children and adolescents through a dedicated education program called Camp PowerUp. The program combines the Association’s over 70 years of experience providing community-based camp programming tailored to children living with diabetes and CHLA’s focused medical expertise in the treatment and prevention of diabetes in children and adolescents. It combines physical activities with wellness education to help children and families at risk of developing type 2 diabetes learn valuable skills to help them live a full and healthy life.
Children and adolescents are increasingly at risk for type 2 diabetes as they learn to make food choices on their own and with their peers. In order to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, learning healthy lifestyle and nutrition habits is critical for children and families, especially in communities with high rates of diabetes. The latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate 32 million young adults age 18 to 44 have or are at risk for type 2 diabetes, and more than 5,000 American youth age 10 to 19 are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes every year. Minority adolescents had higher rates of new cases of type 2 diabetes than their non-Hispanic white peers. In addition, children and young adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes can experience more rapid progression to dangerous complications.
Camp PowerUp provides accessible, community-based programming demonstrated to improve healthy habits and health outcomes of all family members, particularly for youth living in underserved, minority communities with the highest incidence of type 2 diabetes. Camp PowerUp programming will enable the Association to serve people through schools, churches, clinics and other established sites within their community via day camps and weekend retreats. The collaboration combines the Association’s successful youth program materials with CHLA’s Kids N Fitness© curriculum, a family centered outcomes-based healthy lifestyle program for children ages 8 to 16 and their parents.
“The Association is proud to partner with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles to provide accessible and meaningful educational information and experiences through Camp PowerUp. This program can help transform the day to day lives of children and their families, and help us achieve positive outcomes for young people by providing them with opportunities to learn and interact in a safe and fun environment surrounded by their peers,” said the Association’s Chief Scientific, Medical and Mission Officer William T. Cefalu, MD. “We hope to continue to expand Camp PowerUp nationwide so we can continue to help stem the type 2 diabetes epidemic in this vulnerable population.”
“Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is thrilled to be partnering with the American Diabetes Association and its Camp PowerUp program to combat type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents,” Mitchell Geffner, MD, Division Chief of the Center for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. “This unique collaboration allows us to reach families in diverse communities across the country, educating and empowering them to take ownership of their health and help prevent type 2 diabetes.”
CHLA’s Kids N Fitness program was developed in 2000 by a team of CHLA doctors and health professionals to promote healthy eating habits and regular physical activity. The curriculum has been adapted to multiple settings, including parks, camps, afterschool programs and health centers in Southern California and nationally. According to 12 years of research, the Kids N Fitness© curriculum significantly impacts a wide range of youth and family outcomes, including nutrition self-efficacy, child eating habits, parent eating habits, BMI, body fat percentage and nutrition knowledge.
The Association started with two Camp PowerUp programs in 2014 and is hosting 14 Camp PowerUp programs in 2017. For more information on Camp PowerUp, please visit diabetes.org/camp.
About the American Diabetes Association
Nearly half of American adults have diabetes or prediabetes; more than 30 million adults and children have diabetes; and every 21 seconds, another individual is diagnosed with diabetes in the U.S. Founded in 1940, the American Diabetes Association (Association) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization whose mission is to prevent and cure diabetes, and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. The Association drives discovery by funding research to treat, manage and prevent all types of diabetes, as well as to search for cures; raises voice to the urgency of the diabetes epidemic; and works to safeguard policies and programs that protect people with diabetes. In addition, the Association supports people living with diabetes, those at risk of developing diabetes, and the health care professionals who serve them through information and programs that can improve health outcomes and quality of life. For more information, please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (1-800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org. Information from both of these sources is available in English and Spanish. Find us on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Twitter (@AmDiabetesAssn) and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn).
About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has been ranked the top children’s hospital in California and sixth in the nation for clinical excellence with its selection to the prestigious U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll. CHLA is home to The Saban Research Institute, one of the largest and most productive pediatric research facilities in the United States. CHLA is also one of America’s premier teaching hospitals through its affiliation with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California since 1932. For more information, visit CHLA.org.
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SOURCE American Diabetes Association
