Childhood Obesity and how the Family can help.

[nanc...@aol.com]

Apparently the U.S. is making headway on this.  For all who are working on getting to a healthy weight, this article is encouraging and positive and the plan is pretty simple.  A buddy helps and that buddy is really good if they are right in your family.     N

Parental involvement necessary to overcome children's obesity

September 17, 2012 |

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Breanna Bond, 10, could barely tie her shoes before losing 53 pounds in seven months. She's watching what she eats and exercising. / Craig Kohlruss/Fresno Bee

By Barbara Anderson

The Fresno Bee

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Breanna Bond with a pre-weight loss photo. "She just inspires me every day," her mother says. / Craig Kohlruss/Fresno Bee

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Jared Pittenger, 10, with an old picture of himelf before he lost 10 pounds at fitness camp. His parents attended, too. / JOHN WALKER/Fresno Bee

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Bouncing higher and higher on a trampoline, Breanna Bond reached out, touched her toes and flashed her mother a grin almost as wide as her outstretched arms.

The midair move marked another fitness milestone for the 10-year-old Clovis, Calif., girl, who weighed 186 pounds seven months ago and was so out of shape she struggled when stooping to tie a shoe.

More than 50 pounds lighter, Breanna showed off her trampoline skills on a recent afternoon. "Look, I'm going to do a flip," she said, landing on her feet.

"She just inspires me every day," Breanna's mother, Heidi Bond, said of her daughter's efforts.

In a nation where the number of overweight or obese children grows annually, it's easy to overlook the children who have slimmed down.

The formula many children follow to become healthy and fit -- eating smaller portions and exercising more -- has been known to work for a long time. But no child would be overweight if living by those two principles were simple or easy, nutrition experts say. Children and their parents say bluntly that losing weight is tough.

Alexander Flores, 16, of Fresno, Calif., dropped almost 30 pounds off his 5-foot, 9-inch frame in the past few months, going from 209 pounds to 180 pounds. "When he weighs himself, he's ecstatic," said Alexander's mother, Melissa Flores.

But in the beginning, it was hard to motivate her son, Flores said. It wasn't until his doctor warned him he was at risk for health problems that he began pushing himself, she said.

Alexander's not alone: Health experts say they are seeing children with weight-caused problems like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and joint problems usually seen only in adults.

Flores made changes to help Alexander. She added more whole grains, fruits and vegetables to the family diet. Luckily, Alexander seldom drank sodas or snacked on candy and chips, she said, but now he drinks fat-free milk. "The kids love it," she said. "To them, there's no difference."

Losing weight is a family affair, everyone agrees.

Dr. Keith Levick is a health psychologist who specializes in the treatment of obesity in children. He is the founder and director of the Center for Childhood Weight Management in Farmington Hills and the author of "Why Is My Child So Overweight?" (SelfHelpBooks.com, $12.95)

"Eating is a behavior," Levick writes in his book. "From brushing teeth to crossing the street to being polite, all behaviors are learned by children. The same learning curve applies to eating behaviors. Children need to learn mealtime etiquette, portion control, how food affects their health and other eating habits. ... Parents are role models and their actions and words are considered gospel in the eyes of children."

Some parents want to put overweight children on diets, but that doesn't work, said Tina Canales, a registered dietitian in California. "It has to be the whole family eating healthier and exercising."

When the city of Fresno enrolled 10- to 13-year-olds in a free six-week fitness program this summer, parent attendance at a twice-a-week nutrition class was mandatory.

That made a difference, said Sara Bosse, senior program manager for the University of California CalFresh nutrition education program. "You'll have parents with weak moments not wanting to employ what they've learned, and children are going to have weak moments, but they end up encouraging each other."

Julie and Jeff Pittenger began cooking more at their home after son Jared, 10, attended the fitness camp. It paid off: Jared, at 5 feet 7 inches, weighed almost 211 pounds when the six-week camp started and he ended the camp weighing 202 pounds. Dietitians say a weight loss of between 1 and 3 pounds per month is considered a healthy pace for an overweight child.

It had become routine for the Pittengers to go out or grab fast food three to four times a week. "Now, we're lucky if it's three to four times a month," Jeff Pittenger said.

Jared learned to like vegetables at camp, and the family added more fruits and vegetables at home.

His parents also serve less food to their son. They used to give Jared large portions at a meal "and hope he'd stop when he was full," Jeff Pittenger said. "Now, we serve him less and if he's not full, he can ask for more."

More Details: Where to find help

Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan: 313-961-6675 or http://cfsem.org

Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan: 248-473-1400 or www.bgcsm.org

City of Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion: 313-876-4300 or www.detroitmi.gov/Departments andAgencies /Departmentof HealthWellnessPromotion.aspx

Macomb County Department of Public Health: 586-469-7190 or www.macombcounty mi.gov /publichealth

Danialle Karmanos’ Work It Out: 313-227-7946 or http://dkwio.org/wordpress