Ean's Story

At twelve years old, Ean Quick loves to swim, play baseball and volleyball, walk his dog and hang out with his friends. Skiing is his newest hobby, and he describes himself as someone who always likes to be on the run.

Despite Ean’s love for sports, he was referred to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC’s Weight Management and Wellness Center in September 2008. During his first appointment, Ean met with Goutham Rao, MD, clinical director of the center, and Megan McQuaide, MA, RD, LDN, clinical dietitian and wellness advisor. They conducted a medical assessment, took body fat, height and weight measurement;, and began nutrition and activity counseling.

“Although Ean has been a patient at the center for a short time, he has shown that he is an extremely motivated young man,” says Ms. McQuaide. “He has improved his level of physical activity and has made significant changes to his eating habits.”

Ean returned to the Weight Management and Wellness Center six weeks later. During that time, he had lost seven pounds and decreased his Body Mass Index from 97.3 to 95.55. Ean says changing his nutrition habits has been the biggest difference.

“I always drank a lot of milk and juice, but what I didn’t realize is that I was drinking too much and eating too much of things that are healthy in small doses,” explains Ean. “The center taught me about healthy proportions, how to cut down on calories and what kinds of foods to eat.”

Ean drastically reduced the number of times he eats dessert per week. He began to think about eating a single serving of food, and he learned how to determine if a food is a healthy choice. Ean also says his family has been very supportive, which has made the transition easier.

“Now I can decide if it’s worth it to eat a food or not,” says Ean. “For example, if I see cheesy cauliflower I know the vegetable is healthy, but the cheese adds a lot of calories. If I know I’m going to a party on Saturday, I’ll skip one of the nights I allow myself to eat dessert at home so that I can have it at the party.”

Middle school can be an exceptionally difficult time for adolescents, and Ean agrees that school can be tough. He says other students used to comment about his weight, a situation that amplified due to swimming class.

“Things like that are why it’s so great that I’ve been able to go to the Weight Management and Wellness Center, because I’ve always liked being active,” says Ean. “I’m a good swimmer, but other kids would say things about the way I look – losing weight and changing the way I eat has given me a lot more confidence.”