About Us

The New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center Boston Children’s Hospital is dedicated to helping families, health care providers and community organizations fight to end childhood obesity.

Fueled by our culture, media and economics, children in the United States are eating fewer healthful foods, exercising less and weighing more. The result is an epidemic that puts happy, healthy futures at risk.

Our mission is to empower people to live healthy, active lives by:

researching innovative ways to prevent childhood obesity
providing evidence-based treatments for overweight and obese children
increasing awareness and education of causes, prevention and treatments
advocating for policy changes to promote healthy weight

As a result of obesity, more kids than ever are developing complicated medical conditions like type 2 diabetes, liver disease and atherosclerosis (fatty blockages in the arteries). In fact, obesity-related complications are so widespread in children now, that the current generation may have shorter, less healthy lives than their parents.

One in every three children ages 2-19 is overweight or obese.
Among African-American and Hispanic populations, one in every two adolescents is overweight or obese.

In addition, as a result of obesity:

More children than ever are developing complicated medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, liver disease and atherosclerosis (fatty blockages in the arteries).
The current generation may be the first to have shorter, less healthy lives than their parents due to obesity-related complications.

Unfortunately, there is no quick fix or simple solution.

We know that reversing the trend, especially among populations most at risk, will take time and the coordinated efforts of individuals, families, communities, businesses and the government.

But we believe it is possible. Boston Children’s Hospital and the New Balance Foundation are determined to make childhood—and the lifetime that follows—a healthy and happy one.

Boston Children’s Hospital and the New Balance Foundation have a common goal to combat childhood obesity. In January 2011, they united their efforts, allowing the Optimal Weight for Life (OWL) Clinic—founded by David Ludwig, MD, PhD, in 1996—to become more impactful than ever.

With a generous gift from the New Balance Foundation, Boston Children’s can now:

expand and enhance clinical care
advance childhood obesity research
spread helpful knowledge around the country and the world