Obesity among American children has reached epidemic proportions. Laura Dawes traces changes in diagnosis, treatment, and popular conceptions of the most serious health problem facing American children today, and makes the case that understanding the cultural history of a disease is critical to developing effective public health policy.

Almost fourteen percent of American children over age six and twelve percent of adolescents are obese, more than double the rate of thirty years ago. Although there are countless diet and weight loss books on the market, few of them explain in jargon-free terms the basic factors, the body processes that can lead to childhood obesity, and the research currently underway to combat this growing health risk. In Understanding Childhood Obesity, Dr. J. Clinton Smith has created a comprehensive guide covering nearly every field of obesity research. He explores causes and methods of control, the body's physical and chemical make-up, prevention strategies, new treatments and behavior modifications, and future research possibilities. Smith closely examines the genetic and environmental factors that can lead to childhood obesity. For parents, he answers the all-important question of whether an obese child needs help, and he outlines traditional diet and exercise treatments as well as aggressive medical and surgical techniques. He also introduces readers to the “continuous care and problem-solving model” that has proved valuable in pediatric treatment clinics. Featured are: An explanation of how obesity is identified by using a child's height and weight. A frank discussion of the health consequences of obesity. A review of how the body breaks down food for energy and how and why the body stores energy. An examination of the powerful environmental factors affecting childhood weight gain. A thorough gathering of the treatments and research, and a view of exciting new discoveries in genetics and body chemistry.

In the United States at least one child in five is overweight and the number of overweight children continues to grow. Over the last two decades, this number has increased by more than 50 percent, and the number of 'extremely' overweight children has nearly doubled. A doctor determines if children are overweight by measuring their height and weight. Although children have fewer weight-related health problems than adults, overweight children are at high risk of becoming overweight adolescents and adults. disease, diabetes, high blood pressure stroke, and some forms of cancer. Children become overweight for a variety of reasons. The most common causes are genetic factors, lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating patterns, or a combination of these factors. In rare cases, a medical problem, such as an endocrine disorder, may cause a child to become overweight. This book examines the dilemma facing the United States, as the number of obese children is growing and proposes solutions.

This volume brings together behavioral, medical, and public health approaches and provides the knowledge necessary for a wide range of practitioners to effectively address the current obesity epidemic among children and adolescents. The book addresses several themes in pediatric and adolescent obesity. Experts in the field discuss the prevalence, etiology, and sequelae of pediatric and adolescent obesity, as well as the medical and behavioral assessment of the overweight child, adolescent, and family. The book offers a comprehensive understanding of the wide range of approaches to pediatric and adolescent obesity treatment, in order to promote an individualized approach that will best fit the patient and family.

(A) Why You Should Read This Book Attention Parents: If your child is obese, then you MUST read this. You cannot afford to be unaware of the serious health risks associated with childhood obesity. As a loving, caring parent, you only want the best for your child – but you may not know how serious those extra pounds are. Did you know that your child could face serious health risks, such as: Elevated Cholesterol, Breathing Problems Overexerted Heart Muscle, Causing a Higher Risk of Heart Disease or Heart Attack, Diabetes, Sleep Apnea (Stopping Breathing While Asleep),Weaker Bones and Muscle Problems It’s imperative that you help your child maintain an appropriate weight for his or her height and age. Help Your Child Lose Extra Pounds and Maintain a Healthy, Appropriate Weight – Without Any Suffering at All! Unfortunately, parents are victims. We live in an age of McDonald’s, video games, convenience and technology. It’s harder than ever to make sure our children are a healthy and appropriate weight. Our children are not going to save themselves – it’s up to us to ensure that they are healthy and happy. It’s not just our responsibility...it’s our duty. Take a look at the shocking statistics below: Even one popular cookie commercial utilizes the power of ‘family,’ showing children and their parents racing to eat the cookies – making it seem like a regular, normal activity you might engage in if you’re a ‘good’ parent. With all of these different signals coming at you, it can be extremely difficult to determine whether you’re making the right decisions regarding your child’s diet. That’s why I’m excited to tell you about... “Understanding Childhood Obesity and the Essential Role of Parents” This is a book designed to help you take control of your child’s diet and ensure that he or she is getting precisely what they need and no more – and that you’re supporting a healthy, appropriate weight. It takes the guesswork out of the equation and answers the nagging questions you have about your child’s nutrition. Just some of the information you’ll find in this book includes: (1) What daily foods your child should be eating. These are the foods that are essential for good growth and development in your child. (2) Which foods they should be eating sparingly – the kinds of foods that could end up as problematic and cause more weight to be gained. (3) How to introduce your child to healthier foods that they may be averse to in the beginning – and how to sneak in healthy foods. (4) How much exercise your child should be getting each day – and what qualifies as exercise. Did you know that something as simple as jumping rope can be an excellent exercise for your child? (5) What questions and topics you should bring up with your doctor. Should your child be taking medications or vitamin supplements? How much overweight is your child and how much weight should they lose? How quickly should they lose this weight? These are all valid questions that you should ask your child’s pediatrician. Find out which other ones you should be asking. It’s Never Too Late to Put Your Child on the Fast Track to Great Physical and Mental Health! Don’t let your child become a victim of one of the most preventable diseases in the United States of America. Utilize the proper nutrition and diet tools that this book will provide you with to ensure that your child is healthy and happy. Prevent your child from developing lifelong habits that encourage obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other health complications. If you’ve researched at all, you’ve most likely seen other books offering childhood obesity resources. It can be difficult to know which one you should trust. I can assure you that my only goal is to help you maintain your child’s health. Together – we can beat the global epidemic of childhood obesity. The statistics don’t have to keep getting worse and worse. We can see definite improvement if we