With almost one-third of all American children overweight or obese, experts are debating the best ways to help these children and to prevent others from becoming overweight too. A recent edition of the Journal of Sports Psychology in Action looked at one such effort.
A four step approach was developed in 2005 by a committee of representatives from 15 healthcare organizations. This committee reported to the American Medical Association, the United States Health Resources and Service Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control.
- In Stage One, parents of overweight children would undergo three to six months of educational sessions, setting four goals, including eating more fruit and vegetables, minimizing sugar drinks, limiting screen time to two hours a day, and getting one or more hours of physical activity.
- If this does not cause weight loss, then they move into Stage Two, which requires healthcare professionals to monitor the children more closely for six months.
- Stage Three would increase the intensity of the monitoring.
- If necessary, the children would move into Stage Four, which involves restrictive diets, structured activities, medication, therapeutic camps or boarding schools, and/or bariatric surgery.
Labels: weight loss
Posted By: Jane St. Clair
