Miami Telehealth program works on preventing childhood obesity

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Miami, a highly Latino populated city (65.6% Latino) is also struggling with obesity for the many immigrant families that live in low-income areas. In fact according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 67.4% of the adult population of the county is overweight or obese.

For 23 years, a pediatric mobile health clinic supported by Children’s Health fund and Miami Miller School of Medicine has been providing comprehensive medical care to low-income children. The University of Miami Pediatric Mobile clinic is now acknowledging the obesity issues in the low-income migrant population. The mobile clinic will now be providing and testing a new telehealth obesity prevention program.

Using technology such as text messaging, health education apps, electronic fitness bracelets and consistent communication with medical providers through video conferencing on mobile devices, the program aims to help combat obesity. Working with mainly immigrant families in low-income areas and schools the program will provide free medical health care to the participants in the program.

Medical providers can also use this advanced technology to track and monitor the child’s fitness weekly, helping providers review the data to better understand how technology may be used to help children maintain a healthy weight.

To learn more about this free medical program for Miami, click here.