Texas Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Childhood Obesity was created to address the childhood obesity epidemic facing Central Texas today. According to 2008 FITNESSGRAM® results, approximately 35% of the students in grades 3 to 12 are overweight or obese in Austin ISD alone.
Headed by Stephen Pont, MD MPH, the pediatric obesity center focuses on reversing obesity trends in children and reducing long-term illnesses caused by obesity. Dr. Pont's team includes experts in medicine, psychology, nutrition and physical therapy from Dell Children's Medical Center, UT-Austin, and the Texas Child Study Center. The center incorporate multi-disciplinary prevention and intervention methods and practices to help children and adolescents overcome obesity.