<!–

–><!–

–>

What We Need To Know | Resources

All Stories

<!–

–>

Comment

Print this Story | E-Mail this Story

<!–a href="#" target="_blank"></a–>

With one in five U.S. children overweight, parents and schools across the country are looking for ways to help kids lose those extra pounds. But instead of taking kids to the gym, some parents are headed to their local hospitals.

Sixteen-year-old Brian, for example, weighed 300 pounds. According to his doctor, he was about to get diabetes.

“He walked me through it and told me everything that would happen,” says Brian. “They cut off your fingers your toes, your feet, and you go blind soon. So yeah, it kind of worried me after that.”

His doctor suggested Brian go to a medical program for overweight kids.

In the past, kids like Brian would be told to diet on their own — or be sent to a weight-loss camp.

Today, hospitals and insurance companies around the country are starting programs designed to help kids manage their weight.

“I think it makes sense to have clinicians who can sit down and say, are you ready to do this? And let’s do this in a way that makes sense,” says Dr. Luke Beno, a pediatrician who heads up ‘Operation Zero’ — a program for overweight kids, run by the healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente.

Every Saturday for eight weeks, Brian went to the class — where he learned to exercise and make smarter food choices.

“So the best programs really work on real world skills,” says Dr. Beno. “How do I pick a healthy lunch when I am at school? How do I eat healthy when I am eating out with my friends? How do I find ways to be active that aren’t exercise and things that I don’t want to do?”

Doctors say it’s easy to tell if your child needs a program to help manage their weight.

“If you have a gut, you are probably overweight,” says Dr. Beno.

He says use a medical-based program only if the child is concerned about being overweight.

“If they are not, do not drag them kicking and screaming to some program,” says Dr. Beno. “It will not work.”

So far, Brian has lost more than 20 pounds. His parents are proud.

“He had gotten up to like 301 [pounds],” says Brian’s mom Pansy, “and now he’s down to like 275, and Dr. Beno is real impressed with that.”

Doctors say the advantage of going through a hospital-based program is that kids will be screened for health conditions related to obesity.

What We Need To Know

• If your child would like to join a hospital-based program for overweight kids, choose a program that has both a nutritional component and an activity component. (Dr. Luke Beno, M.D., Pediatrician, Kaiser Permanente)




• Ask your pediatrician to screen your child for medical conditions that can cause obesity. (Dr. Luke Beno, M.D., Pediatrician)




• Realize many children do not need to lose weight. Kids who maintain their weight, as they grow taller, will lose fat. (Dr. Luke Beno, M.D., Pediatrician)




• Teach kids to exercise portion control when eating out. Since most portions at restaurants are double what they should be, encourage kids to take half home, or to share with another person. (Dr. Luke Beno, M.D., Pediatrician)




• Eating breakfast is important for weight management. Research shows most people who have lost more than 60 pounds, and kept it off for six years, eat breakfast. (Dr. Luke Beno, M.D.)

Resources

• Kaiser Permanente
• Centers For Disease Control and Prevention
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• U.S. Department of Agriculture

Top ˆ