Our Overweight Children: What Parents, Schools, and Communities Can Do to Control the Fatness EpidemicThe United States is facing a health crisis of epidemic proportions: children are gaining weight younger and faster than ever before. With the prospect of becoming the most obese generation of adults in history, they are already turning up with an alarming assortment of "grown-up" maladies, from type 2 diabetes to high blood pressure. This book takes a clear-eyed look at what's behind the statistics and diagnoses, and what can be done about the major health crisis among American children. Sharron Dalton begins with the basics: what obesity is, what causes it, and why it matters. Integrating information from scientific and popular sources, she reviews past remedies and their results and compares specific strategies and programs for children. When a third of our children are overweight or likely to become so, it's everyone's problem—and this book argues for a united approach, promoting the role of parents, health professionals, and school and community leaders. For each group, Dalton outlines actions to combat the epidemic. She suggests ways for parents to respond to their children in interactions centered on food and physical activities. And she illuminates a number of issues raised by childhood obesity, from the pain of fat discrimination to the economic, social, and political ramifications of an epidemic of obesity among the young. At once authoritative and nontechnical, no-nonsense and compassionate, Our Overweight Children is a clear call to action—a prescription for treating the most dire problem threatening our children's health and our nation's future. Our Overweight Children includes * A discussion of what obesity is, what causes it, and why it matters * A review of various remedies and their results * A comparison of specific strategies and programs for children * A plan for parents, health professionals, and school and community leaders to work together to confront childhood obesity |
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adults African American American Dietetic Association baby becoming overweight Body Mass Index boys calories candy chil child childhood obesity children ages Children and Adolescents daily develop diet disease dren Dwayne eating and activity eating behavior eating disorders encourage environment excessive factors fast-food fat children fat discrimination fatter food choices Food Guide Pyramid fries fruits and vegetables genetic girls guidelines health professionals healthier healthy eating healthy food healthy weight high-calorie increased juice leptin less lifestyle lose weight low-fat Lunchables Maria McDonald's meals mealtimes milk moderation mother obese children obesity epidemic overweight children parents Pediatrics percent percentile physical activity pizza play problem promote recommended reported restaurants risk of becoming saturated fat servings snacks soda soft drinks sugar teens television tion type 2 diabetes USDA vending machines weight gain weight loss weight management York young