If you’ve tried searching online for a weight loss camp for your child, you’ve likely noticed that there are quite a few out there. But how do you know which is the right one for your child? How do you go about choosing from all of those camps?

To help you make a wise decision, we’ve put together a few points to keep in mind when you are considering your options:

Management - First, you should look for leaders at weight loss camps with backgrounds in clinical and behavioral weight loss, education, psychology, and outdoor education. If your child will not be in the hands of people that are competent in these areas, you should look elsewhere.

Clinical Program - A clearly-defined and well executed clinical intervention program should be focused on intensive cognitive-behavior therapy conducted by appropriately trained and supervised staff.

Education - A good weight loss camp for teens will have a clearly designed nutrition plan that will help them learn the long-term physical and mental health benefits that are obtained by eating a nutritionally sound diet. It should help your children learn to make healthy eating choices and feel good about it.

Food - The food served at the camp should be healthy and balanced; but also tasty and fun enough to teach campers that eating well isn’t as boring as it sounds. Meals should be focused on low fat meals that are enjoyable and should also include snacks since we all know that most children snack on a daily basis. If a camp does not provide you with sample menus, they will upon request.

Serving Some Uncontrolled Portions - Foods that are not portioned out or controlled are included in every meal. This teaches children about taking their own portions and that some foods are smarter options, if they are still hungry.

Exercise - Diet AND exercise are the key to losing weight. There should be a wide array of activities to choose from at the weight loss camp for kids so that you child can find some sort of physical activity they enjoy and stick with it throughout the camp. Ideally, the camp will offer several activities that can be continued after camp.

Family Support - Family will play a crucial role in the ultimate success of a summer weight loss camp. Kids will get a good start over the summer, but if they are going to be 100% successful, they will need support from their family when they return home. Therefore, it is important that camps involve families from the beginning.

Success Stories - Of course, you should look for a camp that has a track record of being successful. Look for a camp that uses multiple measures of success and regularly monitors your kids progress to get them feeling successful.

Facilities - The facilities should be comfortable and well maintained.

Doing due diligence up front to select the right weight loss camp for teens for your child is extremely important. If you have the ability, tour the facilities before you sign up and search online for reviews, videos, and any other pieces of knowledge that can help you make the right decision.

Finally, keep in mind that a good weight loss camp for teens should be a fun environment for children where they happen to learn healthy living skills. However, keep in mind that it is only the beginning. A summer spent at weight loss camp is no good if kids are allowed to return to the same bad habits once they get home.