Underage and Overweight: America's Childhood Obesity Epidemic: What Every Family Needs to Know (Paperback)

by Frances M. Berg MS LN (Author), Stacy Debroff (Foreword)

Editorial Reviews

Review
A reassuring, practical book that will help both parents and children lead healthier lives...Highly recommended. -- Library Journal

offers much valuable advice on how parents and communities can address the problem. -- The New York Times

Product Description
A groundbreaking study: Includes a 7-step plan for raising healthy-weight children.

In 2001, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a press release to the American public containing some disturbing statistics: 14 percent of teenagers and 13 percent of children were overweight or obese. This skyrocketing figure is associated with increases in high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, as well as higher obesity figures in the adult population.

In response to the growing crisis affecting America's youth, Frances M. Berg, MS, LN, brings her lifetime of knowledge to bear on the problem of obesity in children and teens in the groundbreaking book Underage and Overweight: America's Childhood Obesity Epidemic.

Studies and statistics prove that diets and exercise regimens don't work on children and teens; instead, they can lead to eating disorders, malnutrition, and increased weight gain in the long run. More than a diet and exercise plan, Underage and Overweight encourages families to promote a more active lifestyle and provide healthier food choices, rather then prescribing aerobics and limiting portions. A helpful and insightful guide to healthy living for the whole family, Underage and Overweight encourages provides solutions for parents who want to learn how to help their children lead healthier, more active lives.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 496 pages
• Publisher: Hatherleigh Press; 1 edition (May 24, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578261937
• ISBN-13: 978-1578261932
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #789,085 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wealth of practical tips, tricks and techniques to improve lifestyle habits, November 9, 2005

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Now in a revised and updated edition, Underage And Overweight is a valuable and insightful book by childhood obesity expert Frances M. Berg. Written for parents, teachers, and healthcare providers, Underage And Overweight presents practical guideposts for a healthy lifestyle that will help every child and, even more importantly, do no harm. Above all, Underage And Overweight produces a wealth of information stressing that diets don't work - efforts to artificially force rapid weight loss, such as extremely low-calorie diets, "fat camps", and appetite suppressing drugs will not keep off the weight long term because the body is resilient about defending its fat and its "setpoint" of weight. Worse, low-calorie diets, pills and extreme solutions such as liposuction or stomach stapling can have long- term health risks or even cause death. So what does work? Underage And Overweight offers a wealth of practical tips, tricks and techniques to improve lifestyle habits, offer a balance of greater activity and exercise, improve nutrition, and deal with the psychological issues of being large size at a young age. In the case of young overweight children, an ideal solution is often to help the child maintain his or her weight at the current amount as he or she grows older, allowing the child to "grow into" the weight. An active lifestyle can avert "setpoint creep" upward as children and adults age. Above all it is crucial to love and accept children, as negative emotions will only compound physiological problems, and children are far too hard on themselves and each other as it is. Underage And Overweight is a serious analysis of a problem with no quick or easy solutions, yet it is packed cover to cover with practical advice for fostering healthy attitudes for long-term improvement - from the importance of learning table manners to encouraging regular walking to meal planning based on sound nutritional principles and much more. Highly recommended, and a valuable resource of vital information for adults struggling with obesity as surely as children.