Youth Program

Valley Medical Weight Loss in Tempe, Phoenix, and Glendale, AZ, offers weight loss for youths ages 12 and up.

Youth Program w/Appetite Suppressant $100/month
Youth Program w/GLP-1 starting at $200/month

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Our Youth Program

Our Youth Program includes a month’s supply of the following:

Professional strength multivitamin
Personalized meal plan
Weekly weigh-ins
Physician consultation

Valley Medical offers two programs for our Youth patients. Youths may be eligible for an appetite suppressant named Phentermine. This medication is FDA-approved for ages 16 and up. It is up to the discretion of the physician to determine eligibility for each patient. Patients will need to qualify for all appetite medications based on medical history and BMI.

In addition to this program, Valley Medical also offers a monthly GLP-1 program for our patients 12 years and older.

Our Youth Program Options

Youth Program with GLP-1

starting at $200/month

No contracts
No startup fees
Pay as you go
4 Week Program
Physician Consultation
Weekly Weigh-In
Injections are administered weekly with dosage titrating up every 4-5 weeks.
Available for youths ages 12 and up.

Dose increase subject to additional cost.

Youth Program with Appetite Suppressant

$100/month

No contracts
No startup fees
Pay as you go
4 Week Program
Physician Consultation
Weekly Weigh-ins
Daily appetite suppressant
Multivitamin

Youths may be eligible for an appetite suppressant named Phentermine. This medication is FDA-approved for ages 16 and up. It is up to the discretion of the physician to determine eligibility for each patient. Patients will need to qualify for all appetite medications based on medical history and BMI.

GLP-1

Non-habit forming
Not a stimulant
Well Tolerated
Suppresses Appetite
Keeps you Full Longer
Lose Cravings
Weight Loss

GLP-1 may have some additional benefits for the following diseases:
Heart Disease / High Blood Pressure / Inflammation /Blood Sugar / Obesity

PHENTERMINE

FDA Approved Appetite Suppressant
Well Tolerated
Lose Cravings
Weight Loss

Losing weight in youth can reduce many health risks that come with obesity including:
Heart Disease / Diabetes/ High Blood Pressure / Inflammation / Shorter Life Span

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A disturbing trend

More than 30 percent of American children are obese or overweight. This is triple the number than in 1980. Poor nutrition is everywhere; only 2% of school-age children consistently eat well. Kids are less active overall due to today’s fast-paced but sedentary lifestyles. 35% of school-age children watch an average of 5 or more hours of TV on a school day. Studies show overweight kids miss school 4 times as much as normal weight kids. Low-income and minority children are most seriously at risk.

Unhealthy weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year. Obesity is among the easiest medical conditions to recognize but most difficult to treat. A child who is overweight or obese is more likely to be overweight or obese as an adult. Obese children are now developing health problems that used to be seen only in adults. When these problems begin in childhood, they often become more severe when the child becomes an adult.

Potential youth health problems

Children with obesity are at risk for developing these health problems:

High blood glucose (sugar) or diabetes
High blood pressure (hypertension)
High blood cholesterol and triglycerides (dyslipidemia or high blood fats)
Heart attacks due to coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, and stroke later in life
Bone and joint problems (more weight puts pressure on the bones and joints.) This can lead to osteoarthritis, a disease that causes joint pain and stiffness.
Stopping breathing during sleep (sleep apnea). This can cause daytime fatigue or sleepiness, poor attention, and problems at school.

What is obesity?

A few extra pounds does not suggest obesity. However, it may indicate a tendency to gain weight easily and a need for changes in diet and/or exercise. Generally, a child is not considered obese until the weight is at least 10 percent higher than what is recommended for their height and body type. Obesity most commonly begins between the ages of 5 and 6, or during adolescence. Studies have shown that a child who is obese between the ages of 10 and 13 has an 80 percent chance of becoming an obese adult.

Obesity and low self-esteem

Child and adolescent obesity is also associated with increased risk of emotional problems. Teens with weight problems tend to have much lower self-esteem, are less popular with their peers, and are more likely to be teased or bullied. Depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder can also occur.

What causes obesity?

The causes of obesity are complex and include genetic, biological, behavioral and cultural factors. Obesity occurs when a person eats more calories than the body burns up. If one parent is obese, there is a 50 percent chance that their children will also be obese. However, when both parents are obese, their children have an 80 percent chance of being obese. Although certain medical disorders can cause obesity, less than 1 percent of all obesity is caused by physical problems. Obesity in childhood and adolescence can be related to:

Poor eating habits
Overeating or binging
Lack of exercise (i.e., couch potato kids)
Family history of obesity
Medical illnesses (endocrine, neurological problems)
Medications (steroids, some psychiatric medications)
Stressful life events or changes (separations, divorce, moves, death, abuse)
Family and peer problems
Low self-esteem
Depression or other emotional problems

How can obesity be treated?

Obese children need a thorough medical evaluation by a pediatrician or family physician to consider the possibility of a physical cause. In the absence of a physical disorder, the only way to lose weight is to reduce the number of calories being eaten and to increase the level of physical activity. Lasting weight loss can only occur when there is self-motivation. Since obesity often affects more than one family member, making healthy eating and regular exercise a family activity can improve the chances of successful weight control for the child or adolescent.

Managing youth obesity

Start a weight-management program
Change eating habits (eat slowly, develop a routine)
Plan meals and make better food selections (eat less fatty foods, avoid junk and fast foods)
Control portions and consume less calories
Increase physical activity (especially walking) and have a more active lifestyle
Know what your child eats at school
Eat meals as a family instead of while watching television or at the computer
Do not use food as a reward
Limit snacking
Attend a support group (e.g., Overeaters Anonymous)

Looking toward success

Obesity frequently becomes a lifelong issue. The reason most obese adolescents gain back their lost pounds is that they tend to go back to their old habits of eating and exercising. An obese adolescent must therefore learn to eat and enjoy healthy foods in moderate amounts and to exercise regularly to maintain a desired weight. Parents of an obese child can improve their child’s self-esteem by emphasizing their strengths and positive qualities rather than just focusing on their weight problem.

When a child or adolescent with obesity also has emotional problems, a child and adolescent psychiatrist can work with the child’s family physician to develop a comprehensive treatment plan. Such a plan would include reasonable weight loss goals, dietary and physical activity management, behavior modification, and family involvement.

Guidelines for patient visits

The physician encourages weekly visits into our offices for blood pressure checks and to weigh the patient to document progress. During these follow-up visits, the parent or legal guardian may sign a release form so the youth may continue to be treated by the physician without the parent or legal guardian present. Because the patient is a youth and under the age of 18, they must be accompanied by a parent and/or legal guardian on the first visit. Parents or legal guardians will be required to attend with minors in our office every 12 weeks or as requested by our physician. If a minor has been absent from our clinic for 90 days or longer, or the physician wishes to change the minor's medication, the parent must attend the visit with the minor.

Why choose Valley Medical Weight Loss?

Our weight loss clinic, recently named Best of the Desert for Weight Loss 2022, is a top destination for patients seeking a comfortable, hassle-free experience where they don’t have to feel judged or intimidated. Our affordable programs help to improve quality of life and restore self-confidence, which is essential when it comes to our younger patients. We believe every person deserves to feel secure, at ease, and empowered in their body, and we offer state-of-the-art solutions to achieve each client’s individual goals for transformation.