Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute

Karen L. Young, MD

Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics/College of Medicine/University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Phone: 501-364-1100

Research Overview

In 2001, Dr. Young began the Pediatric Fitness Clinic as Medical Director, treating overweight children and adolescents throughout Arkansas and surrounding states. This clinic was launched with the help of a Healthy Tomorrows Partnership for Children Program grant through the AAP and HRSA called “Creating Opportunities to Combat Obesity in Arkansas” for which Dr. Young was the Principal Investigator. The following year, she created the research arm of the program, the Fitness Collaborative Research Group, which does research exclusively in the field of pediatric obesity and its related medical and psychosocial problems.

Dr. Young is the Medical Director for the Pediatric Fitness Program and Medical Co-Director for the Bariatric Surgery Program at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. She is a general pediatrician and continues her clinical activities in the General Pediatric Clinic, participating in student and resident education in both outpatient and inpatient settings. She has interests in morbidly overweight children and adolescents and in bariatric surgery. Dr. Young is first author of one of the first Continuing Medical Education programs on pediatric overweight in the country. This program was recently updated and is available online at the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care website. She also developed one of the first residency electives in pediatric obesity in the country, which continues to be available to both family medicine and pediatric residents.

Key Publications

Wheeler JG, Young KL, Kahn A. Arkansas Clinicians’ Guide to Weight Problems in Children and Adolescents, Journal of the Arkansas Medical Society, 2004, 101: 80-81.

Young KL, Wheeler JG, Kahn R, West D. Management of Pediatric Overweight: a continuing education resource for physicians and nurses. AFMC.org, 2004, 1.75 Category 1 AMA credits. (Web-based continuing medical education program, peer-reviewed to obtain CME credits and reviewed by both internal UAMS panel and RWJ panel).

Young KL, Kokoska E, Simpson, P, Peck, KD, Goel, R, and Wheeler JG. Severe Obesity in Children and Adolescents: Implications for Treatment. Journal of the Arkansas Medical Society, 2005, 102 (3): 91-93.

Young KL. Treating Overweight Children and Adolescents in the Clinic, Clinical Pediatrics, 2005, 44 (8): 647-654.