UF College of Medicine launches pediatric obesity fellowship to tackle national epidemic

A new program at the University of Florida College of Medicine is paving the way for specialized training on a growing national health concern.

The new Pediatric Obesity Fellowship Training Program, launched in July 2024, is just the second pediatric obesity fellowship in the southeastern United States and is tackling a growing need for prevention and treatment as obesity rates continue to rise around the nation.

Approximately 1 in 5 U.S. children and adolescents have obesity, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the state level, data from the Florida Policy Institute’s 2023 Florida Child Well-Being Index reports 37.6% of first-, third-, and sixth-grade students as meeting the criteria for overweight or obese.

“There’s a significant need for physicians trained in pediatric obesity medicine. Pediatric Obesity is an epidemic in this country. It’s been an issue for a while, and it’s only getting worse,” said Angelina V. Bernier, M.D. ’02, medical director of UF’s metabolic and obesity clinic, pediatric medical adviser to the UF Health Bariatric Surgery Center, and fellowship program director.