Originally published August 15 2005
Clinic to teach children the dangers of obesity
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A new clinic is opening is South Carolina to not only aid youngsters in weight loss, but to teach them healthy eating and exercise habits that they can carry with them into adulthood.
Teasing and bullying can lead to behavior problems and more weight gain, making physical activity even more difficult.
Those facts, Dr. Frank Bowen said, are the reason the Volunteers in Medicine Clinic is addressing the issue this fall with a new child obesity clinic.
The clinic will teach overweight children dietary, nutritional and psychological tools for successful weight loss.
The purpose of the clinic is not just to help children lose weight, but to help them "re-learn" how to be healthy, said Margie Maxwell, Volunteers in Medicine's director of development.
Childhood obesity is diagnosed more than any other pediatric disease, so physicians nationally are raising awareness about the problem, said Bowen, medical director for Volunteers in Medicine, which provides free health care for people working or living on Hilton Head or Daufuskie islands.
A Beaufort County School District survey released in spring 2004 said school nurses found that about 43 percent of children in the county's public schools are either obese or at-risk for obesity and related health problems.
American children's weight problems often don't stem from abundance of food, Maxwell said.
Dietary advice for the clinic will be based on the Food and Drug Administration's food pyramid, she said, which means children will be told to eat plenty of whole-wheat grains, fruits and vegetables, and to use fats and sweets sparingly.
Children who are overweight tend to have adult diseases, such as Type II diabetes, hypertension and high blood pressure.
Children can "omit" health complications with weight reduction, and people who lose weight can reduce their blood-sugar levels and gain a healthy life.
To help pay for the childhood obesity clinic, Volunteers in Medicine is applying for grants from corporate sponsors, such as Nike and New Balance, and national foundations committed to helping Americans becoming healthier.
Patients are attending meetings on Thursdays and scheduling workout sessions with one another.
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml