New Standard Advances Integrated Care Model for Childhood Obesity Management

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A newly released professional standard is helping advance multidisciplinary care for children and adolescents with overweight and obesity in China through a structured management model.

The standard, Service Requirements for Integrated Medical and Exercise-Based Weight Management Clinics for Children and Adolescents (T/BJYXH 2—2026), was initiated by the Beijing Medical Association and led by the Department of Clinical Nutrition at Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University. Experts from multiple institutions, including the China Institute of Sport Science and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, participated in its development.

Childhood overweight and obesity have become a significant public health challenge in China. The standard promotes a multidisciplinary model that brings together physicians, nutrition professionals, exercise specialists, and, where appropriate, psychological support personnel to deliver coordinated care. It introduces a structured framework for integrated medical and exercise-based pediatric obesity management, promoting greater consistency in clinical services and practice.

At the core of the standard is a closed-loop service pathway covering assessment, individualized intervention planning, implementation, follow-up, and adjustment. Children undergo comprehensive evaluations that include medical, nutritional, physical fitness, and psychosocial assessments, followed by personalized plans combining clinical management, exercise guidance, nutrition support, and behavioral modification strategies.

Continuous monitoring is emphasized throughout the intervention process. Individualized plans are reviewed and adjusted every two to four weeks, while regular follow-up every three to six months is recommended after the active weight-management phase to support long-term weight maintenance and reduce the risk of weight regain.

The standard also defines staffing and training requirements for participating clinics, including physicians, nutrition professionals, exercise specialists, and psychological support personnel where needed. To help ensure individualized supervision and care, it recommends that each exercise specialist serve no more than eight children at a time.

Patient safety is another key component of the model. The standard requires health risk screening before exercise-based interventions, appropriate medical supervision for high-risk children, and measures to ensure emergency preparedness, informed consent, and privacy protection. Service sites are also expected to maintain access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and emergency medicines, with on-duty personnel trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Aligned with existing national standards and informed by clinical medicine and sports science research, the standard provides practical guidance for the delivery of more consistent pediatric obesity services. Its implementation is expected to facilitate collaboration among health care providers, families, schools, and communities in addressing childhood obesity and promoting healthier growth and development.