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Obesity Institute Associated Programs Meet Our Team Locations Resources for Families Resources for Healthcare Professionals Referral Guidelines Contact Information Request an Apppointment     Email This Page Print This Page           Obesity Institute Since 1970, childhood obesity has increased 400 percent, raising the total number of overweight children to 17.1 percent in 2003-2004 (see Figure 1). Obesity impacts children across all age, race, gender, cultural, community, social, and family domains. It is also related to multiple chronic diseases that typically manifest in adulthood, such as type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. This variation on the “Möbius strip” represents creative thinking, efficiency, continuity, interdependency, innovation and sustainability—all qualities associated with the collaborative, interdisciplinary Obesity Institute at Children’s National Medical Center. Children’s National has formed an Obesity Institute to address every arena of obesity in the community. Children’s is leading a community-based, city-wide, and partnership-centered approach to combating the disease. Through the Obesity Institute, Children’s National seeks to reduce childhood obesity using a multidisciplinary approach, that draws upon our experts from throughout Children’s National, as well as research, clinical, policy and advocacy partners region. The Children’s National team works to combat obesity through multidisciplinary, comprehensive prevention and treatment programs in our Obesity Clinic. Through Children’s National’s Department of Government & External Affairs and Child Health Advocacy Institute, we advocate for legislation, public policy, and external partnerships dedicated to helping families deal with obesity. Children’s National seeks to reduce the District of Columbia’s pediatric obesity incidence through an innovative and phased approach that will initially slow, then stop, and ultimately reverse the rising prevalence of childhood obesity over a five-year period. Order your free 'Take Control of Childhood Obesity - Lighten Up' toolkit Download Children's Obesity Clinic's (IDEAL) brochure   Our researchers seek to unveil the connections and find effective treatments for obese patients through genetic, translational, clinical and public health projects.  Painful and deformed joints, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol and depression are just a few of the challenges patients present to today’s clinicians. Download our study now