Shanghai pilots AI-powered weight management program for children

(ECNS) -- Shanghai is piloting a new approach to weight management for children and adolescents, combining artificial intelligence, targeted health education and multidisciplinary medical care.

“Weight management for children is not simply about losing weight, but about correcting unhealthy lifestyles while ensuring normal growth,” said Hong Li, a pediatric clinical nutrition expert in Shanghai.

The approach was tested during a youth weight management camp held from Aug. 8 to 10 by the Shanghai Health Promotion Center and Shanghai Children’s Medical Center, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.

The camp involved 11 families with children aged 8 to 15 who were overweight or obese.

The program used an AI-powered health management system called “Fuxing” to analyze participants’ metabolic, dietary, behavioral and mental health data, generating personalized health profiles and intervention plans.

The system will continue to track participants after the camp, supporting long-term weight management through coordination among hospitals, communities and families.

The camp also adopted a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach, bringing together specialists in pediatric endocrinology and genetics, clinical nutrition, cardiac rehabilitation and other fields. Experts assessed each child’s physical condition, lifestyle and psychological well-being before developing individualized management plans.

During the program, specialists provided guidance on nutrition, exercise, mental health and obesity-related health risks, helping families build healthier daily habits.

Participants also learned how to read food labels and make healthier dietary choices, while receiving information on medication and surgical options for obesity treatment, as well as traditional Chinese medicine approaches.

The Shanghai Health Promotion Center said it will continue to strengthen cooperation among medical institutions, communities and schools, while promoting more systematic approaches to the prevention and management of childhood obesity.

(By Helen Mo, intern Liu Shuangjing)