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Greenville, SC – As childhood obesity rates continue to surge, particularly exacerbated by pandemic-related sedentary lifestyles, healthcare professionals are seeking innovative solutions to address this critical issue. Dr. Nimali Fernando, a pediatrician, has launched Touchpoints, a multimedia program designed to equip pediatricians with the tools to implement the American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) updated guidelines for treating childhood obesity.
Becca Saul, MSN, ACNP, a primary care adolescent medicine specialist at Prisma Health, found Dr. Fernando’s website, doctoryum.org, to be an invaluable resource. The site offers recipes, nutritional education videos, and a meal planner, all of which Saul uses to educate her patients and their caregivers. “I think it should be less expensive to be healthy than it is to be unhealthy, and it doesn’t cost my patients anything to use her product,” Saul said. “It’s also very user-friendly from the kids’ perspective.”
The AAP’s 2023 guidelines recommend intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment, involving at least 26 hours of lessons on nutrition, physical activity, and behavioral changes over 3-12 months. However, many pediatricians face challenges in implementing these guidelines due to time constraints and resource limitations.
Dr. Fernando, recognizing this gap, developed Touchpoints. The program provides pediatricians with step-by-step guidance through modules covering topics like mindful meals, picky eating, food insecurity, and eating disorders. “Pediatricians were very overwhelmed with that guideline,” Fernando explained. “Ideally, doctors would refer families to centers with multidisciplinary teams, but in the real world, those clinics are largely overwhelmed and there are large areas of the country where they don’t have access to those kinds of programs, so the onus really falls on the pediatrician.”
Sarah Hampl, MD, an author of the AAP guidelines, acknowledged the positive reception but also highlighted the challenges of implementation and reimbursement. “Traditionally, there hasn’t been great insurance coverage of these because they’ve been perceived to be more educational programs when they’re really more health behavior change programs,” Hampl said.
The Touchpoints program addresses these challenges by providing a structured approach that clinicians can integrate into their practice. Santhi Nair, MD, a pediatrician at ALL Pediatrics and a founding board member of the Dr. Yum Project, uses the program via telehealth, offering flexibility for families.
The program also includes tools like the Meal-o-Matic, which helps families create recipes from available ingredients. Saul emphasizes the program’s positive impact on her patients, including a 12-year-old named Gavin, who experienced significant improvement after participating.
Dr. Fernando is also collaborating with UTHealth Houston to conduct a randomized control trial to assess the program’s effectiveness in reducing body mass index.
The AAP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offer additional resources for pediatricians seeking to improve their weight management practices.
Disclaimer: This news article is based on information provided and should not be considered medical advice. Readers should consult with qualified healthcare professionals for personalized guidance. The efficacy of the Touchpoints program is currently under investigation, and individual results may vary. Dr. Fernando is founder of the Dr. Yum Project and Touchpoints, and Nair is a founding board member of the Dr. Yum Project. Saul and Hampl reported no disclosures.(https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/feeding-change-how-dr-yum-helping-pediatricians-tackle-2025a10006t0)
