When a child starts to eat the appropriate level of calories from the right foods in the correct amounts for their age, gender and activity level, weight loss follows. Think of the eating pattern before WWC KIDS as The Wild West and WWC KIDS as the new sheriff in town. The WWC KIDS program starts to bring order to their plate and their health!
Research has shown (in adult subjects) that keeping a food journal can double weight loss. In the WWC KIDS beta program which included kids ages 5 to 17, those that kept a food journal either on their own or with the assistance of their parents had better weight loss outcomes than those that did not keep a diary or relied on recall only. With the assistance of the app, you have your food journal at your finger tips so keeping track is easy. The more mindful the dieter is - the better the choices they make are, and the more their FOOD TUTOR™ can guide them.
Is your child participating in sports, dance, scouts, comp cheer, music lessons, etc? Most children do. We like to keep our children active so that they are healthy and engaged. WWC KIDS does the same thing! Consider it just as important as their other extra curricular activities and the expense is right in line with all the rest!
As of right now, insurance coverage for a pediatric weight loss program is almost non-existent. You will need to contact your insurance provider to see if your plan provides coverage for a pediatric weight loss program.
Note: In April 2002, the IRS ruled that obesity is a disease. Therefore, some of the costs of a weight loss program undertaken as a treatment for obesity and obesity-related medical conditions qualify as tax-deductible medical costs, and as such, individuals may pay for them with pre-tax dollars from medical flexible spending accounts and Health Care Spending Accounts.
IRS revenue ruling, IR 2002-19, approves the fees related to services (i.e. medical services and nutrition education meetings) when they are occurring for medically valid reasons.
In order to use the medical expense tax deduction, your out-of-pocket healthcare costs (including weight loss costs) must exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. To learn more about these provisions, consult your employer’s benefits specialist and your tax preparer.
Of course! The WWC KIDS program is licensed to a limited number of pediatricians so your children's pediatrician might not be a WWC KIDS program provider. That doesn't mean you can't be part of the program through another pediatrician's office, while keeping the doctor you have for your everyday healthcare needs. The WWC KIDS program provider will send updates to your family pediatrician to let them know about your child's success.
The program is conducted over 12 weeks. Some children need more than 12 weeks, so they can extend their participation for additional 12 week sessions. Some children hit the ground running and fall into the program immediately, others take more time to make the lifestyle changes needed for long term success. Just as each child learned to walk at their own pace, so too will they learn to adjust to the WWC KIDS program at their own pace. There is no right or wrong time frame. The goal is more healthful, age, gender and activity level appropriate eating.