About Exercise & Nutrition

Based at the Children's Exercise & Nutrition Centre, the Division of Children's Exercise & Nutrition includes clinical, research, and educational components. The division encompasses two important programs: the Metabolism, Obesity & Health in Youth program and the Child Health & Exercise Medicine program.

The Metabolism, Obesity & Health in Youth program includes two clinical services: the assessment and care of children and adolescents with genetic disorders of cholesterol and lipid metabolism and; the assessment and care of children and adolescents with overweight or obesity. The Pediatric Lipid Clinic sees clients with disorders in lipid metabolism (abnormal cholesterol levels), many of whom have family histories of cholesterol disorders and premature coronary artery disease. The primary mode of treatment for children with lipid disorders includes diet and exercise and may include lipid-lowering medications in some children. Importantly, the Lipid Clinic includes a transition clinic to help position adolescents and families for successful ongoing care in the adult setting. Clinical services for children, youth, and families with overweight or obesity include multidisciplinary care to assist in the development of healthy lifestyles and the evaluation and management of insulin resistance,impaired glucose tolerance, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, polycystic ovarian disease, dyslipidemias, etc.). The Metabolism, Obesity & Health in Youth program also has an active research program led by Dr. Katherine Morrison.

The Child Health & Exercise Medicine program offers clinical exercise assessment and physical activity counselling of children and adolescents with a variety of conditions. The exercise medicine clinic uses exercise testing and physical activity counselling to enhance the care of children with juvenile arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, Type 1 diabetes, cystic fibrosis, heart conditions, cerebral palsy and other developmental conditions, by contributing exercise- and diet-related assessments, interventions, and follow-up. The Child Health & Exercise Medicine program also has an active research program led by Dr. Brian Timmons.

Division members also provide education on the assessment and management of obesity and lipid disorders in children and on the relevance of physical activity, nutrition, and lifestyle to the current and future health, well-being, and function of children and adolescents. This is accomplished through clinical rotations (clerks and residents), research trainees (undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral fellowships), visiting professorships, lectures, seminars and publications.

There is close collaboration between the Division of Children's Exercise and Nutrition and the Division of Endocrinology.

Division Members

Dr. John VanderMeulen
Professor
Division Head

Dr. William Conner
Associate Clinical Professor
Lipid Clinic

Dr. Andrew Don-Wauchope
Assistant Professor
Lipid Clinic

Dr. Charlie Malcolmson
Associate Clinical Professor

Dr. Katherine Morrison
Associate Professor
OAR Clinic & Lipid Clinic

Dr. Zubin Punthakee
Assistant Professor
OAR Clinic

Dr. M. Constantine Samaan
Assistant Professor

Dr. Brian Timmons
Associate Professor
CENC

What's New?

Associate Professor, Dr. Brian Timmons received a plethora of publicity regarding his work and the recent release of the first ever Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines for newborns to 4-year-olds.

The new guidelines were highlighted in the Hamilton media, including television interviews with CHCH news and a print article, "Canadian guidelines for keeping infants and toddlers moving", in The Hamilton Spectator.