Obesity during Childhood and Adolescence

Text Box: Obesity during Childhood and Adolescence One of the most alarming statistics in America today is the prevalence of obesity among our youth. Studies have shown that children who are overweight are prone to being overweight well into adulthood. With that comes the risk of obesity related disease even in childhood. Diseases such as high cholesterol, heart disease, and high blood pressure and Type II diabetes are common. Obesity is now a believed to be a direct cause of cancers and in a recent study just released, close to 68% of Americans are overweight compared with China’s 29%. Granted there are genetic factors involved such as shape and size, family history but along with that comes lifestyle and eating habits. Today’s youth are accustomed to video games, fast food and sedentary lifestyles that a generation ago was the exception rather than the rule. To lose the weight, teens need not diet but rather focus on their diet, behaviors and exercise. A teen who becomes concerned with body image and diets can develop eating disorders that can result in serious health problems and long term treatment. Certainly any of us can lose weight. The goal is to lose and maintain the weight loss. Long term weight loss requires a change in behaviors such recognizing why we eat at certain times, what are the triggers that cause us to eat other than physical hunger and what and how to control the psychological hunger. I will begin in early spring offering individual and group session concerning this topic and will include sessions for parents covering behavioral changes but also dietary tips from a registered dietician. I encourage anyone with a child who they are concerned about weight to begin now to restructure their lives and behaviors in order to avoid the serious affects of obesity in the future.

March 2009

Issue 4

Carolina Center for Counseling

& Behavioral Interventions, LLC

Contact Information

304 A North East Main Street

Simpsonville, SC 29681

Phone: 864 - 963 - 4028

Fax: 877-201-4878