Miss P. recently took her 8 year old son to see me ” Doctor, this child is just getting too fat. All he does is eat junk food and drink soda ”
“So where does he get that sort of food from?” I inquired.

“At home,” she replied.

“So who buys the food?” I asked.

“I do,” replied Miss P. “So doctor what are you going to do about his weight?”  This scenario plays out frequently in my office.

I do not have any statistics on our population, but what I have observed in the last 15 years of practice is that the children are getting “bigger.” It is not uncommon to see an 8 year old who weighs 100 pounds or more!  Think of this parents, how old were you when you reached 100 pounds?  Well I reached that weight when I started University!

We Are Killing Our Children

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 17% of American children and teens ages six to 19 are overweight.

According to the Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey 2006, one out of every four adolescents between the ages of 15 to 19 years is overweight.  This finding is also supported by the monthly summary report from hospitals and clinics across the country, which show that 6.7 per cent of children below the age of five, are overweight.

To make matters worse, according to a recent report in the British Medical Journal, children don’t tend to outgrow their “baby” fat. Researchers found that children who were overweight at 11 were just as likely to be overweight at 16. So parents are allowing a dangerous trend to start in their child’s youth that could persist for their entire life.

Along with the rise in childhood obesity, there has been an increase in the incidence and prevalence of medical conditions in children and adolescents that had been rare in the past. Pediatricians and childhood obesity researchers are reporting more frequent cases of obesity-related diseases such as type 2 diabetes, asthma and hypertension that once were considered adult conditions.

Being overweight or obese increases the risk of many diseases and health conditions, including the following:

- Hypertension
- Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
- Type 2 diabetes
- Coronary heart disease
- Stroke
- Gallbladder disease
- Osteoarthritis
- Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
- Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)

THE PROBLEM

There are many contributing factors. These include too many soft drinks and junk foods available at home and school; less opportunity for active play inside school and at home; and too much TV. More meals are eaten outside the home, there is easy availability of inexpensive fast food with larger portion sizes and aggressive TV advertising of junk foods. This all adds up to overweight children. In the long run it boils down to this fact: Most children are getting fatter because they are moving less and eating more.

THE SOLUTION

The solution for children is the same as for adults – exercise more and eat less. However, this is a tricky group to bring around. Children are coping with all sorts of complicated and confusing messages and issues, and it’s up to parents and caregivers to guide them.

Early parenting decisions set the stage, for better or worse.  Breastfeeding reduces the child’s risk for obesity later in life.

Other things to think about:

Do you put water in the bottle or sippy cup instead of juice?  How much TV are you going to allow your child to watch?  Are you providing enough opportunity for outdoor play?

Be a good role model. Children learn by example.

This is not a difficult issue to gain control over. We all just have to decide to accept how serious it is and make some changes.

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The independent research findings also point out other suggestions such as the limitation of television and video games in after-court reporter school programs, the requirement of a calorie count list on restaurant menus, and the accessibility of court reporter school playgrounds and athletic fields to communities.

As these and other solutions to the problem of obesity are being mapped out to make it easier for children to eat healthfully, the weight issue continues to plague many of America’s younger population. This is something author T. Alan Brenner understands very well.

In the self-published release, The Childhood Obesity Dilemma, Brenner defines the factors that have contributed to the creation, sustenance, and proliferation of the childhood obesity problem as well as provides the reader with the realistic solutions society has failed to recognize. His approach to the weight dilemma is detailed in steps that anyone can take to reverse the childhood obesity trend.

The Childhood Obesity Dilemma is more than a self-help book it is a long overdue and critical look at the growing childhood affliction currently being suffered by nearly one-third of all court reporter school-aged children in the United States.

Parents, community leaders, and educational policy makers will find Brenner’s work a must-read especially if they are to win the battle against childhood obesity.

The Childhood Obesity Dilemma is published by Xlibris.

About the Author
T. Alan Brenner holds a Master of Arts in Education and has taught health and physical education at both the elementary and secondary court reporter school levels. A former competitive amateur athlete, coach, and fitness counselor, Brenner currently teaches k-8 physical education and is a high court reporter school athletic official in Chicago, Illinois, where he resides with his family.

About Xlibris
Xlibris was founded in 1997 and, as the leading publishing services provider for authors, has helped to publish more than 20,000 titles. Xlibris is based in Bloomington, IN and provides authors with direct and personal access to quality publication in hardcover, trade paperback, custom leather-bound, and full-color formats.

For more information, please visit the book publisher’s website, e-mail pressrelease@xlibris.com or call at 1-888-795-4247, to receive a free publishing guide.

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What is the definition of obesity?  This is a serious concern for everyone who knows they are carrying a little extra baggage. Apparently this is more than half the population these days! An amazing 2/3 or 66% of American people are now overweight according to the Centers for Disease Control. And therein lies the problem. Obesity is now defined by the American Medical Association as a disease. So if you’re too fat and you’re wondering if you have crossed the line into obesity status keep reading.

Signs of obesity include first and foremost your weight obviously. Is your weight too much for a person of your age, body type and gender? If a woman is 20% above what is considered the normal range for her height then she is obese. Are you large boned, are you an athlete with a lot of muscle mass? Then give yourself a few pounds.

What is considered a healthy weight for the average person? The chart below is based on a Body Mass Index of 20 – 25. These are considered healthy weights because they have the least risk for some of the diseases associated with obesity, heart disease, stroke and cancer.

Height Weight

4’10″ 97 – 121

4’11″ 99 – 123

5’0″ 101 – 127

5’1″ 105 – 132

5’2″ 110 – 136

5’3″ 112 – 140

5’4″ 114 – 145

5’5″ 119 – 149

5’6″ 123 – 156

5’7″ 127 – 158

5’8″ 129 – 162

5’9″ 134 – 167

5’10″ 138 – 173

5’11″ 143 – 178

6’0″ 145 – 182

6’1″ 149 – 187

6’2″ 156 – 193

6’3″ 158 – 198

6’4″ 162 – 202

6’5″ 170 – 211

6’6″ 172 – 215

6’7″ 175 – 220

From Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter

Published by Family Health Publications

Because there is such a wide range it’s important to discuss your weight with your doctor and let him help you determine your health risks. Other signs of obesity are sleep apnea, hypertension, stress, incontinence, menstrual irregularities, excess facial hair and depression. If you decide to see a doctor, look for a doctor who understands the importance of eating according to the glycemic index who can individualize a weight loss program for you.

The chart above is for adults. If you believe your child is overweight you need to intervene in a serious way. According to the Health and Medical Research Foundation, in 1968 5% of all children were overweight. In 2004 the numbers had risen to 18% in children 6 years to 11 years old. For those between the ages of 12 years to 17 years 15% were overweight.

In 40 years the number of overweight children has roughly tripled.  One third of American Indian children are obese.  Obesity is also more common in Latino and African American children. No doubt these childhood obesity statistics are due to poor choices, lack of parental supervision and perhaps a lack of affordable, nutritious food.

The health risks for obese children are immense. The Center for Disease Control has linked excess fat to 20 different health problems from high blood pressure to liver cancer. We know that poor diets and inactivity are the causes of obesity and overweight children usually become overweight and even obese adults.

Today our children are more sedentary than any other generation and at the same time they are bombarded with television advertisements for unhealthy foods. We need to be vigilant about their nutrition and limiting foods with few nutrients and saturated fats.

What about fast food? Does fast food cause obesity? It is not a coincidence that in the years that the obesity statistics have risen so dramatically that the fast food industry now dominates our urban landscapes. Every corner it seems has a fast food restaurant. Even if parents have the best intentions with both parents working it’s a huge temptation to just do what is convenient.

Fast foods are high glycemic foods that are full of trans fats, the worst saturated fats. French fries and hamburgers raise blood sugar and do not have enough nutrients to make them worth the calories. And they are full of calories! A quarter pounder with cheese has 530 calories with 270 calories being the saturated fat. So does fast food cause obesity? When you eat it often you are not getting a nutritious diet but one high in unhealthy fat.

Obesity is everyone’s problem because it adds to the burden of our health care system.

In life, various factors contribute to weight gain. Be it genetic, psychological or hereditary, Obesity grabs you as a severe weight disorder. It is an increasing problem in U.K where 50 percent of the adult population are overweight [BMI 25-29.5] and 20 percent are obese [BMI-30 and above].

BMI- Body Mass Index = Weight in Kg/Square of Height in meter2

Fat deposition in your body occurs due to the imbalance between energy consumption and expenditure. You spend less energy but eat more. Weight gain steadies during your adulthood and it peaks during your middle age. Once you invite those extra pounds in the body, remember it is difficult to throw it away. So let’s prevent it by knowing more about Obesity.

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Causes of Obesity

• High fat diet

• Irregular meal patterns

• Consumption of energy dense food

• Alcohol consumption

• Genetic factors

No gains, only pains if you are Obese

• Hypertension

• Stroke

• Heart Disease

• Increase in risk of certain cancer

• Breathlessness and respiratory disease

• Pregnancy complications

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Now that we have seen the ill effects of Obesity, it’s essential to learn the basic prevention methods.

Tips that will work

• Regular Exercise

• Low fat diet

• Less alcohol intake

• Active and healthy life

Keep a check on your weight regularly. Eat well but prefer healthy salads and fruits. You simply can’t afford to be careless about your life.

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Be sure to read this for more tips on preventing obesity.

You can find hereunder 4 very important reasons why healthy food choices need our full attention:

1. First of all our bodies  need all the necessary macronutrients and micronutrients in order to keep functioning well.

It is unbelievable how many major problems  can be caused by the lack of even one micronutrient!

Now,imagine if you had a generalized problem!

We need  a strong immune system and we compromise it every time we make lousy food choices . Every time we opt for junk food we deprive our bodies from life-giving nutrients and in parallel we give ground to every kind of microbes and viruses.

2. Second, a healthy diet can help us fight the obesity curse which sweeps across all the developed,western countries.

We know perfectly well that the obesity flood has a strong correlation with the increased intake of processed carbs ,mainly table sugar and white flour. These foods create havoc with our sugar and insulin levels and lay the ground for excessive cases of obesity.

On the other hand a healthy diet is almost impossible to lead to obesity since processed carbs intake is normally minimized.

3. A healthy diet is very crucial for our vitality and energy levels.
High energy levels are necessary for a decent  quality of life.  We need this energy to fulfill our everyday,demanding tasks in the most efficient way. We should opt for low glycemic index foods and spread our daily caloric intake into more than the normal 2-3 meals  placed no more than three hours  apart. In this way we can control in an optimal way the levels of sugar and insulin in our blood and can ensure a steady energy flow.

Do the opposite and you will feel lethargic and sluggish all day through.

4. But the most important reason is that a healthy diet is our strongest and most efficient weapon against nearly all the dreadful chronic and/or  degenerative diseases,diseases such as:

-diabetes
- problems of the cardiovascular system
-problems with joints
-many types of cancer
-many neurodegenerative diseases

Prevention of the above mentioned diseases will guarantee a higher level of life especially as we grow older.  I don’t know about you but I am not so afraid of death.  What really scares me is the idea of a slow death. For this reason I am fully convinced that a healthy diet is a must for me.

To your health!

Chris