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Weight Loss Program for Kids from Kurbo Health Helps Local Teen Beat Childhood Obesity Odds

Gainesville, Florida (PRWEB) March 09, 2015

Childhood obesity is an undeniable epidemic in the US today, with recent statistics showing at least one in three children in America are severely overweight or obese – and that number is rising. However, there’s at least one local Gainesville teen who is bucking these odds with the help of an innovative new weight loss program for kids called Kurbo.

Twelve-year-old Meg McDermott, who was afflicted by an intestinal illness last year that kept her from exercising and led to weight gain, has turned her health and body image around over the past year with use of the Kurbo app and digital coaching program. Not only did Meg reduce her BMI (body mass index) by more than seven percent, she has gained confidence and also inspired her mom, Carol, to get fit and lose weight herself.

Kurbo is the first mobile weight loss program for kids and teens designed specifically to help kids, teens and their parents learn to eat healthier and lose weight if needed. It’s based on Stanford University’s renowned pediatric weight control program, and follows the well-known “Traffic Light Diet” food classification system, which encourages users to consume fewer “red foods” (i.e., processed foods high in sugar and fat), more “greens” (most fruits and vegetables) and “yellows” (e.g., whole grain breads, dairy products, lean meats, etc.) in moderation. In addition, Kurbo users receive feedback and encouragement via text messages and weekly phone or video chats with a personal coach.

Within the Kurbo app itself, features include the food and exercise tracker, as well as fun games, budgeting tools, helpful videos, weekly challenges and progress screens. Users also receive virtual coaching (SMS text messages and notifications providing feedback and recommendations based on tracker entries), as well as personal coaching in the form of weekly phone calls or video chats with a live coach.

Kurbo Works: 90% Success Rate by Users

Meg McDermott is not the only child to find success using Kurbo. In fact, in the first pilot program for 65 children ages 8-17 years old who completed the Kurbo program between March and July 2014, users experienced a significant reduction (0.26) in their body mass index by (BMI). Of this group, 90% of the children either maintained or reduced their weight, and of those who reduced their weight, 58% reduced their BMI by over 3% and 20% of these reduced their BMI by over 7%.

In addition to weight loss and BMI reduction, at the end of the Kurbo program, kids reported higher levels of self-confidence and self-esteem, improved feelings of self-control, more physically active lifestyle, and reduced conflict between kids and parents over food and exercise. (For more on Kurbo’s outcomes, visit https://kurbo.com/science.php).

About Kurbo

Kurbo is the first mobile weight loss program for kids and teens. Based on Stanford University’s renowned and research-based Pediatric Weight Control Program, Kurbo is the only system combining personalized coaching and expert advice with mobile apps for food and activity tracking to promote healthier eating and exercise habits for children and their families. Kurbo Health is part of Rock Health, a full-service seed fund for digital health startups. The company has offices in San Francisco and Palo Alto. For more information, please visit http://www.kurbo.com.

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