PolicyLab

Saba Khan is a PolicyLab faculty scholar, director of the Food Pharmacy at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), attending physician with the Healthy Weight Program at CHOP and assistant professor of pediatrics in the Perleman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Khan has recently started the first “Food Pharmacy” in a quaternary pediatric setting to help alleviate root causes that continue to propagate poor health outcomes as part of her nearly decade long efforts to address the food insecurity crisis in Philadelphia. As a pediatric obesity specialist, she has led a multi-disciplinary team at CHOP of nutritionists, psychologists, social workers, physical activity specialists, researchers and general and specialist pediatricians to help tackle childhood obesity in both the inner city and suburban Philadelphia populations. In addition, due to her fellowship training, she has continued to be involved in robust research and clinical quality control initiatives. Dr. Khan has been the principal investigator in several projects examining food insecurity rates and solutions in hospital systems and has recently presented her research to the most recent Surgeon General. She has also been a regular contributor on pediatric social determinant issues, pediatric wellness and obesity for several well-known publications and media outlets including The Washington Post, The New York Times, NBC, ABC and more.

Dr. Khan also works very closely with Government Affairs and Diversity Divisions at CHOP on a number of collaborations and is involved in many city-wide and state efforts to address social determinants, gender and diversity issues facing vulnerable youth. Most recently, she is part of a committee led through the Governor’s office helping form the first PA Food Policy Council. Furthermore, she sits on several boards and committees that provide feedback on community health needs assessments and help prioritize identified needs within CHOP and the wider West Philadelphia community.