Bodywise

Bodywise is a family-focused weight management programme for overweight children aged 5-12 years. We work with families to help them identify lifestyle habits that they can change to become healthier. We support families to identify and set goals to make small steady healthy changes that can be maintained for a lifetime..

The Bodywise groups are made up of between four to eight families.
Children are grouped together with other children of a similar age.
About four groups are run each year and follow the school term calendar.
There are monthly follow up appointments for 6 months.

Description

Bodywise is a weight management family intervention programme with the aim of stabilising or reducing child BMI over the course of the programme.

Bodywise is a Waikato DHB initiative. It comes under the Waikids brand of Waikato DHB children's health services.

Our team includes a dietitian, a psychologist, a doctor, an activity coordinator and an administrator.
We work together with the child and his/her family. This is in line with international best practice guidelines.

The programme

Initial clinic appointment at Waikato Hospital Waikid's Clinic. Group programme is based in the community. Enrolment is free.

• Families must be committed to attending all sessions
• Initial appointment prior to the group with child and parent’s/caregiver’s
• Family information evening for adults only
• Five week course with two contacts a week: 
• • Five family activity sessions (five x one hour sessions after school)
  • Five group sessions – child and parent/s (five x three hour morning session).
• Monthly follow-up appointments for 6 months. 

What topics are covered in the six week course?

Topics for adults

• Goal setting and problem solving
• Healthy eating/label reading
• Lunchbox food/snacks/fat types
• Getting active
• Role modeling

Topics for children

• Healthy eating
• Goal-setting/Problem solving
• Bullying/teasing
• Getting active
• Sugary drinks / label reading.
  
  

Download our Bodywise brochure .

Location

• Waikids Clinic, Level 6, Elizabeth Rothwell Building, Waikato Hospital
• A community location to be confirmed.
   

Contact information

Contact the Bodywise administrator (07) 839 8899 ext 96957 email to bodywise@waikatodhb.health.nz  

Referral information

Parents are welcome to contact us directly and referrals do not have to come from a doctor or health professional.

Referrals by general practitioners (GPs) or other health professionals should be via Waikato Hospital's Referral Coordination Centre (RCC):

Attention : Bodywise
Referral Coordination Centre
Waikato Hospital
Private Bag 3200
HAMILTON

Fax: (07) 839 8817

Initial appointments are at Waikids Clinic, Waikato Hospital.

Referral criteria

• Children aged between 5 and 12 years
• Children and families, with a child that has a Body Mass Index (BMI) over the 95th centile (medically obese).
• Children in the overweight range over 85th centile with medical complications also qualify.