Children's Emergency Department is now located in Children's Tower: 1001 E. Marshall Street.

Learn more
View alerts close
Healthy Lifestyles Center

We help kids live their healthiest lives  

Today, one in three U.S. children is considered overweight or obese. At the Healthy Lifestyles Center, we partner with families to help children develop age-appropriate health habits that can last a lifetime by supporting their nutritional, physical and emotional needs.  

We understand root issues with weight management and the long-term risks of obesity, including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and liver, kidney or heart disease. We help kids live healthy lives now – and as adults. 

Welcome to the Healthy Lifestyles Center!

Interested in our services? View the video below and complete our patient intake form. A member of our team will contact you to schedule an appointment.
Patient forms

Healthy weight management starts by understanding your child and their needs 

We know how to talk with kids – and we know that healthy weight management can be a sensitive topic. Because people come in all shapes and sizes, we don’t focus on their weight. Instead, we emphasize how important it is for everyone to make healthy choices in eating and exercise. 

Our care starts with a comprehensive assessment. Your child will spend time with a weight management physician, behavioral psychologist, dietitian and exercise physiologist. We also order blood work and other medical tests to rule out or diagnose any underlying medical conditions. We use all that information to develop a tailored treatment plan for achieving goals.

Your child’s plan might include: 

  • Fitness goals established with a personal trainer 
  • Group-based treatments 
  • Nutrition therapy 
  • Participation in research studies 
  • Psychology support and counseling for behavior change 
  • Weight-loss surgery 

Nutrition services 

One of the first steps after the initial referral and assessment is to meet with our clinic’s dietitian, who will review the family’s eating behaviors and help the patient and family determine areas for improvement. 

Behavioral support 

Our psychologist will explore behavioral and psychological factors that may impact weight management efforts. Families will learn behavioral strategies to begin making realistic and sustainable changes to eating and exercise. 

In our eating disorders clinic, patients and families collaborate with us to develop a plan to address disordered eating behaviors. Treatment often includes individual psychotherapy, nutrition counseling, family psychotherapy, and medical consultation. We focus on helping children, adolescents and their families develop healthier thoughts and behaviors related to eating, exercise and body image. 

Weight-loss surgery 

Older adolescents who are diagnosed with severe obesity and other weight-related conditions might be candidates for weight-loss surgery. Bariatric surgery is one of the many tools in the healthy lifestyle toolkit and individuals must meet established criteria and follow a medically supervised intervention program for at least six months to prepare for the best outcome. CHoR is the only accredited adolescent bariatric surgery center in the region. 

Exercise services 

We get kids moving within a safe and encouraging environment. And we guide them in finding physical activities that them happy, so they’ll make them part of their daily lives. 

Current research on weight management 

With an increased need for weight-management for all ages, we are continually studying new approaches that can make a difference for kids and adolescents. The Healthy Lifestyles Center gives our patients the opportunity to participate in ongoing research studies aimed at finding better ways to effectively manage and prevent weight concerns. Many of these programs are offered at no cost.  

Families play an important role 

Families have an important role in creating healthy paths that can improve their children’s physical and mental health. The terms “overweight” and “obese” refer to serious medical conditions in which excess body fat accumulates to the extent that it can adversely impact an individual’s health, increasing risk for: 

  • Elevated cholesterol 
  • Fatty liver disease 
  • Hypertension 
  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome, a hormonal disorder 
  • Pseudotumor cerebri, or increased pressure around the brain 
  • Sleep apnea 
  • Type 2 diabetes 

Billing and location 

Co-pays will be collected at the time of service. Patients will often see more than one provider during their visit, so more than one co-pay might be collected. Pre-authorizations from insurance carriers will be completed for visits with the psychologist and dietitian. Families should check with their insurance carrier prior to clinic visits if they are unfamiliar with their covered benefits. An out-of-pocket fee ($35 per session - for up to four sessions) for medical nutrition therapy will be charged at the time of service if a child doesn't have insurance or if the insurance carrier does not cover this service. Exercise services are out-of-pocket and not billed to insurance. 

Pembrooke Office Park 
2303 North Parham Road, Suite 1 
Henrico, VA 23229 

Tour our healthy lifestyles center

 

Additional resources 

 

Meet the team

View all providers
Melanie Bean, PhD, LCP
Melanie Bean PhD, LCP Endocrinology and metabolism
Weight management
Adolescent bariatric surgery
Read more
Laura Caccavale, PhD, LCP
Laura Caccavale PhD, LCP Endocrinology and metabolism
Weight management
Adolescent bariatric surgery
Read more
Sarah Farthing
Sarah Farthing Weight management Read more
Sonya Islam, MPH, RD
Sonya Islam MPH, RD Weight management Read more
Stephanie Joyce, PA
Stephanie Joyce PA Endocrinology and metabolism
Weight management
Read more
David Lanning, MD, PhD
David Lanning MD, PhD Surgery
Adolescent bariatric surgery
Weight management
Trauma
Read more
Claudio Oiticica, MD
Claudio Oiticica MD Weight management
Vascular birthmarks/malformations
Adolescent bariatric surgery
Surgery
Trauma
Read more
Edmond P Wickham, MD, FAAP
Edmond Wickham MD, FAAP Endocrinology and metabolism
Weight management
Adolescent bariatric surgery
Read more

Locations

View all locations