Centre for Healthy Active Living

A child or youth’s risk of obesity is largely dependent ongenetic and biologic risk factors. Weight loss and especially sustained weight loss is very challenging due to strong neuroendocrine mechanisms that protect against this. Healthy bodies exist in a wide range of shapes and sizes. Our focus when working with children, youth and families is on improving overall health and well-being. Evidence suggests that obesity is a chronic condition and while weight loss may occur in a few of the patients we see, this is not the focus of our program.

Our mission

To improve the health and quality of life of children with weight related health complications and support them and their families in achieving a healthy active lifestyle.

CHEO's Centre for Healthy Active Living (CHAL) works with children and their families with complex severe obesity by creating one coordinated and patient-specific plan of care that brings together specialists such as a pediatric endocrinologist, general pediatrician, psychologists, case management nurse, registered dietitian, exercise specialist, social worker and child and youth counselor.

Recognizing that healthy bodies come in a wide range of body shapes and sizes, CHEO's Centre for Healthy Active Living works with families to help them improve health through changes in health behaviours. Making changes to health behaviours — how and what you eat, how you move and how you cope — can lead to significant improvements in health and well-being, with little or no changes in body weight.

Information for healthcare providers

The CHAL program provides support and programing for 2 years. Patients are then transitioned back to the community to their Primary Care Provider. Patients with significant weight related health complications may return into the program based on availability and wait times. We are currently only accepting re-referrals for patients who have already completed the program and who are now interested in pursuing bariatric surgery and/or pharmacotherapy (if not already started) in addition to re-engaging in the 2-year CHAL program.

Make a referral

Our clinic is now accepting e-referrals with Ocean!
If you’re already on Ocean, look us up via your account by searching "CHEO".
If you don’t yet have an Ocean account, no problem - signing up is free.
Make a referral in Ocean

Patients must meet criteria and be referred by a physician. Please note that we do not accept out of province referrals. Our upper age limit of referrals is 15 years. You can make an e-referral using Ocean, or mail or fax the referral form to us:

CHAL referral form

Please note that for patients who have previously completed the program, re-referral is only available if they are interested in pursuing bariatric surgery. Patients who do not meet this criterion may be re-referred through one of the community providers listed below.

Dr. Maddie Edwards - Community pediatric endocrinologist with expertise in weight management. Vital Medical Group, 380 Hunt Club Rd Ottawa K1V 1C1 Fax: 613-248-1019 
Dr. Kelly Milton - Community pediatric endocrinologist with expertise in weight management. Vital Medical Group, 380 Hunt Club Rd Ottawa K1V 1C1 Fax: 613-248-1019  
Dr. Kim Phung - Community pediatric endocrinologist with expertise in weight management. Central Park Medical Clinic. 6-314 Central Park Dr Ottawa, K2C 0R2 Phone: 613-728-0608 Fax: 613-728-4286

Referral criteria and eligibility

Criteria

We accept and triage patients based on the followed criteria:

BMI greater than: a) 99th%- CDC growth charts; or b) 3 SDS- WHO growth charts; or
BMI greater than: a) 95th% (CDC growth charts) with associated severe medical or psychosocial co-morbidity or chronic illness impacted by obesity (see below); or b) 97th% (WHO growth charts) with associated severe medical or psychosocial co-morbidity or chronic illness impacted by obesity: (see below):

Hypertension requiring pharmacotherapy
Hyperlipidemia requiring pharmacotherapy-(LDL-C and/or Non-HDL- C > 4.2 mmol/L)
Technology dependent sleep disordered breathing (CPAP or BiPAP)
Persistent Impaired Glucose Tolerance or Impaired Fasting Glucose(over a 6 month period- defined as fasting plasma glucose > 6.1 mmo/L and/or 2h plasma glucose > 7.8 mmo/L)
Type 2 diabetes
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (elevated liver enzymes and U/S evidence of fatty infiltration)
Hypothalamic obesity (secondary to CNS tumor)
Genetic syndrome (PWS, BBS, etc.)

Tools and calculators

Missed Appointments & Late Cancellations
CHEO is committed to providing timely care for children, youth, and families. If this is your first appointment in a clinic or department and you miss two appointments without giving at least 48 hours’ notice, your referral will be returned to the care provider who submitted it. They can then follow up with you to confirm whether you still need or wish to proceed with the referral.

We understand life happens and unforeseen events come up. Please notify us as early as possible by calling 613-737-7600 x2222 — ideally at least 48 hours in advance — if you need to cancel or reschedule. This helps us offer the appointment to another family and keep wait times as short as possible. A cancellation 48 hours or more in advance will not count as a missed appointment.

Sign up for MyChart to access your CHEO health record anywhere, any time.
MyChart is a secure, online patient portal that connects you to parts of your CHEO electronic health record and allows you to send two-way secure communication to your care team, complete any questionnaires your care team sends and much more.
To learn more about MyChart and sign up, visit our MyChart page and fill out the MyChart Access Request Form.

Contact us

Tel: 613-260-1477 x 221

Email: chal-info@cheo.on.ca

We are locatedat a CHEO satellite location, at 1355 Bank St, Suite 111 — our entrance faces Riverside Drive. There is a parking pay station located at the front of the building and the OC Transpo transitway is located across the street at Billings Bridge.