Underage and Overweight: America's Childhood Obesity Epidemic--What Every Parent Needs to Know

by Frances M. Berg, Andrew Flach

Childhood obesity has reached crisis proportions. Over the past two decades, the number of overweight adolescents has tripled. This skyrocketing youth obesity figure is associated with increases in high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, as well as higher obesity figures in the adult population. With the rate of obesity among children and teens skyrocketing, the health of an entire generation is at risk. The first step in solving this health crisis is understanding it. In Underage & America's Childhood Obesity Crisis—What Every Family Needs to Know , the first shattering look at this looming disaster, childhood obesity expert Frances Berg clearly lays out the causes of the current crisis. Underage & Overweight clearly lays out the causes of childhood obesity, its consequences, and its cures. It examines the issue from all sides—the classroom, the playground, the home entertainment center, the fast food counter, and the family dining table. It gives families, educators, health care workers, and policy makers the information they need to lead America's children to healthier and happier lives. Underage & Overweight doesn't just explore the problem. It gives realistic guidance for conquering the problem of childhood obesity. Rather than prescribing aerobics and limiting portions, it offers a seven-point plan for raising healthy children that focuses on changing the way families think about food and physical activity. The tips it gives for guiding children to healthier lives are vital reading not only for parents and other caretakers, but also for teachers, school administrators, doctors, nurses, and health care workers—indeed, anyone concerned about our children and their future. This heartfelt call for public awareness, understanding, and action is destined to become a landmark work in our country's war against childhood obesity.

464 pages, Hardcover

First published November 19, 2003

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's worth noting that Ms. Berg is not an RD and that nutritionist is not a regulated term. On the whole I liked this book, but she's very selective with her evidence and has some repeated claims that just aren't true. She frequently repeats herself--I can't count the number of times she went off about how undernourished American teenage girls are using claims that 2200 calories per day is the recommended RDA when that is above the NIH-recommended intake particularly given her simultaneous acknowledgement that teenage girls are overwhelmingly inactive! Things like claiming that average caloric intake has actually gone down is also a pretty bold claim based on controversial measures of average caloric intake (It's a very hard thing to measure!) were also troubling to me. Don't get my started on her disdain for vegetarian and vegan diets. "How much meat did you eat yesterday" is a ridiculous screening question for healthy eating behaviors.

I felt like she was mostly struggling to build an explanation of something so complicated and stigmatizing that she would just get stuck. How do you explain how terrifying the food fed to our kids in schools is while also trying not to place blame on kids for eating too much or eating the wrong things?

However, her final advice on raising kids with healthy lifestyles and focusing on activity and healthy eating for their own sake rather than weight loss is well-taken. It's consistent with the credible evidence I've seen for healthcare practitioners, and I'd love to isolate those chapters for my patients.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent guide regarding the growing problem of Childhood Obesity in families worldwide. The book examines the causes, the side-effects (such as type 2 diabetes) and the prevention measures. It provides great guidance for parents and parenting in general. It is a must read basic introduction to the topic and to getting involved in the campaign to encourage education, awareness, prevention and good nutrition.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only got about half-way through this book. Overall not too bad but disappointing...not what I thought it would be.