What is the best diet plan or weight loss program for women wanting to lose weight? That is the question five clearly obese women were discussing rather loudly recently, seated at a table next to mine at a local restaurant. While I was reading a popular diet and nutrition book and enjoying my lunch of grilled fish and steamed vegetables, these ladies were reviewing the findings of popular weight loss programs discussed in a magazine, in hopes of choosing a diet they would all go on together and lose weight as a supportive team.

There are hundreds of diet plans to choose from for men and women to lose weight successfully, exercise and enjoy better overall health. The word “diet” tends to create the idea in people’s minds of a fast and easy, short-term plan for weight loss, with various celebrity diet endorsements (Dan Marino, Queen Latifah, Jenny McCarthy, Tori Spelling, Whoopi Goldberg, Anna Nicole Smith, Sarah Ferguson, Kathie Lee Gifford and Don Shula) meant to encourage television viewers towards a specific diet plan.

“Don’t even wait until you’ve lost a pound. The minute you can push the plate away with food still on it, give yourself a pat on the back.” – Tony Robbins

Jennifer Hudson became spokeswoman for Weight Watchers (See WeightWatchers® Official Site for details on their program) and dropped from size 16 to size 6 plus working out at the gym 5 times a week; Marie Osmond lost 46 pounds on NutriSystem; Valerie Bertinelli lost 49 pounds on the Jenny Craig program; Kirstie Alley lost 75 pounds on Jenny Craig as spokeswoman and then gained it all back; Wynonna Judd dropped 60 pounds, and “Seinfeld” star Jason Alexander reportedly lost 30 pounds in 18 weeks and became a spokesman for the Jenny Craig weight loss program.

Besides those diet plans, there is also the new Volumetrics Diet; the Atkins Diet; the eDiets program at eDiets.com; the Medifast Diet found at the Medifast Official Site; the Bistro M.D. program; the Ornish Diet; Bob Greene’s Best Life Diet; the Slim-Fast Diet; the South Beach Diet; the Zone Diet; the Eat Right 4 Your Type Diet; the Genotype Diet, and many more. Trying to choose which diet is the best over all the other weight loss programs can cause people to lose hope and just give up before they’ve even started, especially since many diet and weight loss program reviews are biased for one reason or another.

Obesity is a real problem in society today, for children, teens and adults. What many obese or overweight people tend to forget when reading about celebrity’s and their ads for diet programs is the disclaimer notice “Results not typical”. Celebrities are often paid to lose weight with the specific diet program, and they also have the luxury of personal exercise trainers, private chefs and nutritionists to help them lose weight and reach their goal, that “normal” consumers cannot afford.

“No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you absolutely, positively do have the power to change.” Bill Phillips

Just because your favorite celebrity lost weight dieting on a particular program, it doesn’t mean that the same weight loss program is right for you. If you don’t have the financial resources that many celebrities do, don’t assume that you will not be able to lose weight or reach your goal towards a thinner, healthier you. Doing online searches for “diet plans”, “best diet plans”, “top 10 diets”, “best weight loss programs” and similar terms, will result in many pages of results telling you this or that weight loss plan is better than the others or is THE best plan for losing weight.

Diet and exercise experts often say things like “the best diet is the one you’ll follow”, because there isn’t a single diet plan on the market today that is what you might call a “one-size-fits-all” diet program. Dr Malik S. Vasanti from Harvard School of Public Health said it best in the published scientific journal Nature Clinical Practice:

“Currently, there is no conclusive evidence that one popular diet is superior to another in long-term weight control. Clearly, one diet does not fit all. Thus, when prescribing such diets to patients, it is important to consider cultural habits and food preference to maximize long-term adherence”.

Don’t be swayed by television ads or billboard advertisements or famous celebrities touting a specific weight loss program. Figure out which diet or weight loss program is best for you, your personality, lifestyle, wants and needs, your energy level and motivation to lose weight for the long-term benefits of a healthier you. The diet plan or weight loss program that you like and will stick closely to is the one that will work best for you.

“The rest of the world lives to eat, while I eat to live.” – Socrates

Maybe the best weight loss program for you is one with pre-packaged meals to buy or order online and is shipped right to your doorstep. All the foods and decision making is done for you, no preparation time needed except perhaps to toss the meal in the microwave for a few minutes. Maybe the best diet plan for you is where you attend weekly support meetings with other dieters for encouragement, support, tips and advice on effective weight loss and exercise routines.

Or, maybe the most effective diet plan for you would be to workout at home rather than joining a gym, follow the guidelines in recommended diet books and prepare healthy meals from healthy eating cookbooks to reach your goal. Do you need to learn about proper nutrition for a healthy body and lifestyle? If so, there are many top-rated books and cookbooks that will teach you about good nutrition, vitamins and minerals and the importance of getting regular exercise on a daily basis and much more.

The five women mentioned at the outset ultimately decided to sign up for the WW Momentum program at WeightWatchers.com® because of its high rating and low cost and free etools online, attend the weekly meetings and to be each others support system for help and encouragement along the way. WW also offers a very cool Free Personal Assessment for consumers to determine their healthy weight range, and to create a personalized, custom-fit plan to reach your weight loss goals.

Personally, I am not a fan of any diet plan or weight loss program that tells consumers to totally eliminate this-or-that food items from their diet. Moderation, proper portion control, exercise, good healthy nutrition overall etc, and eating real food (not pre-made, pre-packaged, pre-cooked meals) helps people to lose weight but also helps in keeping the weight off.

If you haven’t yet checked out the amount of sodium found in most foods today, listed on food labels, I encourage you to do so. You will likely be shocked and amazed at the high sodium levels many people consume without realizing the harm caused by too much sodium in their diet, versus the American Heart Association’s recommended daily allowance for overall good health.

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Diet books are popular for people wanting to lose weight. Whether weight loss or fitness goals are achieved by joining a gym to help lose weight or if working out at home is preferred, diet books can help motivate and inspire people to get moving and lose weight once and for all. For many people, this is the time of year for self reflection and making resolutions to lose weight and start an exercise program. Diet books are a great asset towards weight loss and healthier living, but diet books won’t do the work of losing weight and getting fit for you.

Reading some of the best diet books to help in achieving your goal to lose weight, exercise, get fit and live a healthy lifestyle includes several new diets books listed on the New York Times best seller list for weight loss. Listed below are a total of 20 diet books that are amongst the most popular, best selling and best rated diet books in the effort to lose weight.

Best Diet Books of 2009

1. Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide by David Zincenko and Matt Goulding was the best selling diet book in 2009 as is just one of the very popular diet books included in the Eat This Not That series. This diet book includes nutrition tips and advice on which aisles in the grocery store are the best and which to avoid, with focus on healthy eating habits. Advice on how to decode and understand food labels, tips on selecting and choosing the healthiest foods for you and your family to eat to help you lose weight, save money and live a healthy lifestyle. This must read diet book offers practical lists and information about the 20 Worst Foods in the Supermarket, the Ultimate Supermarket Label Decoder, 17 Secrets the Food Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know, Shop Once, Eat for a Week and How to Stock the Perfect Pantry.

2. Cook Yourself Thin by the ladies of the popular Lifetime Television reality show “Cook Yourself Thin” also made it to the NY Times bestseller list, and the newly released diet book Cook Yourself Thin Faster authored by Lifetime Television and Lauren Deen. The “Cook Yourself Thin: Skinny Meals You Can Make in Minutes” cookbook includes 80 easy recipes of breakfast meals, dinner entrees and dessert dishes; helpful tips on how to cut calories from comfort foods (like carbs) and how to bake with healthy, low-fat ingredients for a healthier and skinnier you.

3. Hungry Girl: 200 Under 200 by Lisa Lillien is number three on the list of best selling diet books for 2009 with two hundred healthy recipes all under 200 calories. New York Times bestselling author Lisa Lillien’s Hungry Girl book series is a phenomenal success, including notable books including Hungry Girl: Recipes and Survival Strategies for Guilt-free Eating in the Real World; Hungry Girl Chew the Right Thing; Hungry Girl Official Survival Guides, and her soon to be released Hungry Girl 1-2-3 book which can be ordered for its release in March 2010. Lillien’s low-fat, low-cal cookbooks follow the popular Weight Watcher diet point-based system, with focus on healthy cooking and recipes with built-in portion control.

4. Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels, diet guru and strength trainer from the NBC hit television show The Biggest Loser teaches Michaels’ philosophies on the importance of healthy dieting, weight loss and exercise. Michaels’ book centers around the three “R’s” program: Remove, Restore and Rebalance, and includes nutritional tips, the dangers of food additives and processed foods and the importance of taking back control of your hormones naturally in order to make your metabolism work for you rather than against you. The Biggest Loser books and cookbooks, and books by this highly respected and top selling fitness and weight loss expert Jillian Michaels, should be on everyone’s must read list for this year.

5. The End of Overeating by Dr. David Kessler, former commissioner for the FDA, explains why the problem of obesity in America is growing amongst adults and children rather than decreasing. Kessler’s book examines how the composition of packaged and processed foods, ingredients, additives, portion sizes, brain chemistry, the desire and tendency to overeat are stimulated in the brain by diabolical combinations of salt, fat and sugar. Kessler says conditioned hypereating is a biological challenge and not a character flaw, and explains how the food industry along with the advertising industry are in collusion with each other making Americans fat, and how the lack of willpower is not necessarily responsible or to blame for overweight or obese people of all ages. Although this book does not provide or recommend any specific diet plan to follow, it does bring greater awareness and understanding of the Who, What, When, Where, Why, And How of the foods we choose to eat.

6. Naturally Thin by Bethenny Frankel, best known from reality TV’s The Real Housewives of New York City. Frankel, a “natural foods chef” and entrepreneur has written her own diet book to help bring out the healthier, skinny girl in you with tips and advice on changing some eating habits and learning how “to think like a naturally thin person”, thereby freeing yourself of a lifetime of dieting and yo-yo dieting. This popular book includes 30 healthy recipes, exercise recommendations and health tips from celebrities like Charles Barclay and Kathy Hilton, with suggestions on how to reduce stress that can lead to binging and overeating. You will learn how to select foods high in volume and fiber but low in calories; how to distinguish the difference between real hunger and non-food related hunger (emotional eating), and ways to enjoy your favorite food cravings with guiltless moderation.

7. The 4 Day Diet by Dr. Ian K. Smith, the expert weight loss expert and mastermind behind the extremely popular The Fat Smash Diet, Extreme Fat Smash Diet and VH1′s Celebrity Fit Club makes the list of best diet books once again. Dr. Ian Smith says diets do work, contrary to popular belief, saying millions of pounds have been lost by dieters following his diet plans and reading his diet books across America. In his newest diet book, The 4 Day Diet, Smith’s program helps readers avoid the typical (and sometimes fatal) pitfalls of dieting: boredom, no treats allowed, too much repetition and plateaus.  Based on Dr. Smith’s 80-20 rule: dieting is 80% mental and 20% physical, The 4 Day Diet has 60+ recipes for this month-long program of dieting modules made of seven, four-day phases that can be customized to specific dieting objectives.

8. YOU On A Diet by America’s most trusted, favorite diet doctor team and New York Times bestselling authors of the YOU series, Michael Roizen and Dr. Oz (Mehmet Oz). In this popular diet book, Roizen and Oz will invigorate and inspire you with information, motivation, and change-your-life action plans to show you how your brain, stomach, hormones, muscles, heart, genetics, and stress levels all interact biologically to determine if your body is the size of a baseball bat or of a baseball stadium. YOU: On a Diet is much more than a diet book or a diet plan: It’s a complete manual for waist management. To me, YOU On A Diet is “Dieting 101 for Beginners”, and is absolutely a MUST READ!

9. The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide by Elisabeth Hasselbeck, best selling diet book by co-host of ABC’s The View, is a plan for people suffering from celiac disease. Hasselbeck’s G Free Diet is intended for those who have intolerance to wheat, rye and barley, which Elisabeth discovered she had gluten-intolerance after spending years trying to find out what was making her sick. Following her appearance on the Survivor TV show, she discovered her intolerance to gluten and how ingesting gluten was causing her to have some of the most common symptoms of gluten intolerance, commonly referred to as celiac disease. Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s book helps highlight the benefits that can also be derived by people who do not have gluten intolerance, plus treatment and prevention tips for those currently dealing with celiac disease.

10. Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-time Eater by NY Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni, reveals his brutally honest, yet dangerous love affair with food that involves bulimia, binge eating, nighttime eating and laxative abuse. Frank’s personal battle of the bulge is what helped him land the most influential job in the world of food, being the restaurant critic for the New York Times. There aren’t many books available that deal with what it’s like for a grown man to have an eating disorder, and when you consider how we typically think of obesity and eating disorders primarily involving children, teenagers and women in society, Bruni’s top selling book about his experience with an eating disorder is a must read.

Top 10 New Diet Books and Weight Loss Books

Below is the list of new diet books and “notable” weight loss books to watch for in 2010, according to the New York Times.

1. The Big Breakfast Diet by Daniela Jakubowicz
2. The Brown Fat Revolution by James Lyons
3. Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat by Michelle May
4. Eat Your Way To Happiness by Elizabeth Somer
5. Fat Flush for Life by Ann Louise Gittleman
6. The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone
7. The Mayo Clinic Diet by The Mayo Clinic
8. The New ME Diet by Jade Teta and Keoni Teta
9. The Perfect 10 Diet by Michael Aziz
10. Your Inner Skinny by Joy Bauer

It will be interesting to see how many of the new diet books make it on the New York Times bestseller list for 2010. Weight loss and exercise is on my list of goals for 2010. Some of these diet books are on my nightstand waiting to be read, once I finish reading YOU On A Diet, but I have my eye on a couple more since reading a few reviews.

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How thin is too thin? If you think childhood obesity statistics are shocking, there is increasing concern about how the pressure to be thin in society is affecting girls and boys through the media, and how girls in particular are more obsessed with dieting than in previous generations. The obsession to be thin has lead to an increase in eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia in girls as young as 5-years-old, according to recent studies and surveys.

Girls whose moms are on a diet are almost twice as likely to suffer from an eating disorder, according to a recent survey of over 500 teenage girls between the ages of 12 to 18, conducted by teen magazine Sugar. Most of the teenage girls surveyed said they felt damaged by their mother’s dieting obsession and views on food and considered their mothers to be the biggest influence on their own self-image.

Got boys, rather than girls? You’re still not out of the woods moms and dads. Boys struggle with body image too, even though boys may not be as vocal about it, but unrealistic, unhealthy body image standards for boys are very common. Media and peer pressure to be thin and not “heavy”, build big biceps, and create those hard, toned bodies and six-pack abs has become society’s idea of the ideal body for boys and men.

“Thinheritance” is the new modern term describing females who have “inherited” their mothers views and opinions about her own body image, which is then projected onto the daughters by way of comments about body weight issues and concerns about being “fat”. Moms, ask yourself, do you have poor body image? When you look in the mirror or put your clothes on in the morning, do you tell yourself that you are too fat, too thin, ugly, old and tired? The things you tell yourself about how you feel about your own body, shape, size, weight and measurements may very well be affecting your daughter’s perception and beliefs about her body image.

Girls and Dieting

The results of the survey of the teen girls by Sugar shows the dieting obsession for girls in particular and the serious dangers associated with extreme dieting should be a wake-up call for both moms and dads.

• Two-thirds (66%) said they had heard their mom complain about her own weight and 56% of the girls have mothers who are on a diet, despite the fact that 68% of the girls described their mother‘s body size as perfectly normal.

• More than half of teenage girls surveyed (51%) have dieted, which becomes 59% among girls whose mothers diet.

• Almost eight out of 10 (78%) girls worry about their weight, and 20% say they worry about their looks all the time.

• One in five girls said they are criticized by family members for being “too big” and 51% of the girls have been hurt by their parents talking about their size.

• Almost one in three girls surveyed have been called names like ‘elephant’ or ‘beast’ or ‘heifer’ by their relatives.

• Amongst the girls who get comments about their weight from their families, 58% worry about their looks all the time.

• 9% of teenage girls say they are ‘constantly’ on a diet. Among girls whose families comment on their weight, this number tripled to 24%.

Psychologist Amanda Hills commented on the survey results saying:

“Children learn how to behave by watching their parents.

‘Food becomes an issue when mum isn’t sitting down to dinner with everyone else or is off preparing a separate meal for herself.

‘And a dieting parent will label certain foods as ‘bad’ or ‘wrong’, which can lead to an unhealthy approach to food.

‘The ‘drip-drip’ effect of constant self-criticism in front of easily-influenced teens teaches them to do likewise.

‘If mum’s calling herself fat, it won’t be long before her daughter is too.

‘I would say at least half of the people I see with an eating disorder admit that there are problems with eating in the family.”

Body Image in the Media

The pressure to be thin and “perfect” in society today brings dangerous consequences for our young people, but it seems this twit doesn’t understand that girls don’t need to be a walking, talking, skeleton-like toothpick. There was a time when the “ideal” body weight, size and measurements women wanted to emulate and aspire to look like (and men drooled over) was that of famous celebrities like Raquel Welch, Marilyn Monroe, Gina Lollobrigida, Jayne Mansfield and Sophia Loren with their voluptuous, hourglass figures and curvy shapes.

Nowadays, the media bombards us and our children with airbrushed pictures and images of models and celebrities who are waif-like thin, too skinny for their own good and look more like wire hangers than human beings. Counter that with a junk celebrity news article by the New York Post listing “50 Fat Celebrities”, which included “Daisy Duke”-wearing Jessica Simpson dubbed “Jumbo Jessica”; Jennifer Love Hewitt; Eva Longoria Parker; Mischa Barton and former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model and Dancing with the Stars alum Rachel Hunter.

In 1986, researchers from the University of California at San Francisco showed that 80% of fourth-grade girls were dieting. According to the Journal of Psychosocial Nursing, children as young as five are starting to show signs of poor body image and are dieting. Very young children going on diets has been found to be very dangerous because it can stunt a child’s growth and brain development. Research from Harris Interactive Surveys of 1,059 girls found that between 2000 and 2006, the percentage of girls who believe that they must be thin to be popular rose from 48% to 60%.

All it takes to understand the difference between girls and dieting years ago and the extreme measures now being taken to become the supposed beauty ideal of thin and skinny vs. fat and ugly is by seeing pictures and images of the history and timeline of when the media and society went nuts about being thin. Another study reveals that girls as young as seven would like to change something about their appearance and half of 16 to 21-year-olds would consider cosmetic surgery to achieve what they believe to be the ideal, perfect, sexy body.

The research, carried out by Girlguiding UK, shows that 95% of 16 to 21-year-olds would change their bodies, with 33 percent saying they wanted to be thinner and around a quarter of 16 to 21-year-olds said they would consider resorting to cosmetic surgery and botox. The constant barrage of media messages in society about thinness, dieting and beauty tells “ordinary” girls and women that they are always in need of adjustment and fine-tuning, and that the female body is an object to be perfected.

Moms and dads, protect and safeguard your body image and that of your sons and daughters by educating yourself about the difference between body image vs. self image and living a healthy lifestyle. Do not go on a diet and do not put your son or daughter on a diet, even if they are overweight or “morbidly obese”. Diets are temporary and the diet industry is a $55 billion dollar industry with a 95% failure rate. Living a healthy lifestyle requires raising your standards, making healthy food choices, changing your perception and focusing on what is your personal best rather than what the media and society would have you believe is the “ideal” body.

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Childhood obesity in children and teens who are considered overweight or clinically obese is on the rise, according to research studies on the prevalence of overweight and obese children and adolescents in the U.S. Child obesity statistics speak for themselves, with the term “childhood obesity epidemic” creating concern for parents and health officials, as well as city and state government officials searching for ways to reduce and even prevent obesity in children.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over nine million kids and teens between the ages of 6-19 years of age have been diagnosed as being overweight or morbidly obese, an alarming number that has tripled since 1980.

The CDC reports that over the past three decades child obesity rates have more than doubled for preschool children between the ages of 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years.

Childhood Obesity Statistics

According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Resources, overweight kids and teens have a 70% chance of becoming overweight or obese adults, which jumps to 80% if one or more parents is overweight or obese themselves.

In the U.K., parents of overweight school kids are to receive a letter from schools telling them their child is underweight, a healthy weight, overweight or very overweight. Included in the letter are tips and advice on getting kids to eat healthy, the risks of being overweight and physical activities their child can do to lower their weight and risk factors.

In 2008, child obesity statistics show a dramatic increase in the U.S. obesity rates per state, showing only one state (Colorado) with a prevalence of obesity less than 20%. Thirty-two states had a prevalence equal to or greater than 25%; six of these states (Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia) had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30%.

Child Obesity Definition

What is obesity? The definition of child obesity and overweight is simple and easy to understand. “Obesity” means an excess amount of body fat, or body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, while “overweight” is defined as a body mass index of 25 or higher. BMI is calculated from a person’s weight and height, which provides a good indicator of unhealthy body fat and weight that may lead to serious health problems.

Most health professionals use published guidelines based on the body mass index, or a modified BMI for age, in order to measure obesity in children. Other professionals classify fat or overweight kids as being obese if they have a body weight ratio of at least 20% higher than a healthy weight for a child of that height, or a body fat percentage above 25% in boys or above 32% in girls.

Childhood Obesity Facts

The facts about childhood obesity cannot be ignored, and some parents have actually been arrested and charged with child abuse and neglect because their teen is morbidly obese, creating a firestorm of controversy around the country. The health risks and long-term effects of obesity in children are numerous, with very serious consequences, such as:

• Coronary heart disease

• Type 2 diabetes (also referred to as adult-onset diabetes)

• Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)

• Dyslipidemia (high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)

• Stroke

• Liver diseases, gallbladder diseases and asthma

• Sleep apnea (interruption of breath while sleeping) and respiratory problems

• Orthopedic problems/Osteoarthritis (breakdown of cartilage and bone within a joint)

• Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)

Causes of Childhood Obesity

What causes obesity and overweight in children?, you may wonder. According to the Mayo Clinic, obesity in children is caused by kids eating too much, eating the wrong kinds of foods (ie. junk foods, high calorie, high fat, high sodium) and not getting enough exercise. Television commercial ads intentionally marketed to kids and school cafeteria food menu items deserve to share at least part of the blame for increased obesity trends in children.

Genetic disorders and hormonal causes appear to play a part in some cases but are far less common than lifestyle issues and poor eating habits, and is not commonly viewed as a viable excuse. Genetic diseases, such as Prader-Willi syndrome and Cushing’s syndrome, affect only a very small percentage of children, but the primary cause of child obesity is poor eating habits and leading a sedentary lifestyle.

Lack of regular, “natural exercise” is a major contributing factor in childhood obesity rates. Children who spend too much time watching television programs, playing video games too much or internet surfing for hours each day, have a greater risk of being overweight or becoming morbidly obese than kids who regularly engage in active play or sports.

According to research studies, “children’s food preferences and food-intake patterns may be shaped largely by the foods parents choose to make available to children and persistence in presenting a food that initially is rejected.”

The same study found that “picky eaters were breastfed for fewer than 6 months,” suggesting that breastfeeding that lasts longer than 6 months may help prevent kids from becoming picky eaters in the first place. Recommendations for dealing with a picky eater are to prepare one healthy meal for the entire family, and if he or she does not want to eat the meal prepared, don’t force them to eat it but don’t give the child something else to eat.

Weight Loss Diets for Children?

Child obesity prevention programs, weight loss camps and diets for kids under 13 years of age (and older) are popping up all over the U.S., but are diets for children safe? These programs are hoping to stop the obesity epidemic from growing and help kids learn about proper nutrition, food choice, self esteem, portion control and getting enough exercise.

National weight loss programs and grants are being put into place to help children achieve and maintain a healthy body mass index, or BMI, and lower their risks of health problems. These obesity programs also help parents of overweight or obese kids learn how to promote healthy lifestyles and eating habits, and how to give helpful support and encouragement effectively.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) food pyramid for kids program called MyPyramid for Kids offers printable meal tracking worksheets in Spanish and English to help preschoolers (ages 2-5 years) and older kids (ages 6-11 years) keep track of their food choices and level of physical activity, as well as providing tips for parents and families.

We Can! or “Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition” is a national education program developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help prevent childhood obesity in youth ages 8–13. We Can! focuses on programs and activities for parents and families as a primary group for influencing youth. The program provides turn-key resources and programs for parents, caregivers, and youth to encourage healthy eating, increase physical activity, and reduce screen time.

Fad diets are a dime a dozen, and that includes “diets for teens” and even “diets for kids” who are overweight, so before you go signing your kid up for any diet programs – research diet scams and talk to your family doctor to make an informed decision for your child.

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Is childhood obesity child abuse? Should parents of overweight or obese children be criminally charged with child abuse or neglect, where parents may be found guilty of child abuse and sentenced to jail time for having an overfed or obese child? When does parental indulgence become child abuse or neglect? Who is responsible when children are overweight or clinically obese, and should governmental agencies get involved?

A report by USA Today has attracted national attention to the case of a 555-pound teenage boy in South Carolina, whose mother was arrested in June and charged with criminal neglect because of her son’s weight. 14-year-old Alexander Draper is now in foster care, pending the outcome of charges against his mother, 49-year-old Jerri Gray.

“Jerri Gray was doing all she could to help her son lose weight, her attorney says. But something had gone terribly wrong for the boy to hit the 555-pound mark by age 14. Authorities in South Carolina say that what went wrong was Gray’s care and feeding of her son, Alexander Draper. Gray, 49, of Travelers Rest, S.C., was arrested in June and charged with criminal neglect.”

If your child or teenager is overweight or clinically obese, could your child be taken away from you, followed by you being charged with child abuse or neglect? Jerri Gray’s attorney, Grant Varner, says this case could open the door to criminal charges against parents whose children become dangerously overweight.

“If she’s found guilty on those criminal charges, you have set a precedent that opens Pandora’s box,” Grant Varner says. “Where do you go next?”

Childhood obesity is on the rise all across the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many states have begun to take legal action against parents. According to a 2008 report published by Child Welfare League of America, state courts in Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, New Mexico, Indiana and California have been trying to decide what to do about obesity in children.

In all of those cases, except the one in California, courts expanded their state’s legal definition of medical neglect to include morbid obesity and ruled that the children were victims of neglect, the report says. Criminal charges were filed only in the California and Indiana cases, but the parents weren’t sentenced to jail time in either.

Childhood Obesity – Child Abuse?

Linda Spears, vice president of policy and public affairs for the Child Welfare League of America says criminal charges should be a last resort. “I think I would draw the line at a place where there are serious health consequences for the child and efforts to work with the family have repeatedly failed,” she says. “What’s more often needed is a structured plan of action that’s accountable to a court. Most of the time, the health problems tied to childhood obesity don’t become chronic until adulthood, which makes it difficult to charge parents with child abuse”, Spears says.

Obesity in children is not just a problem in the U.S., with children of all ages developing health problems because of poor nutrition, over-consumption and inactivity, and many countries around the world are working hard to combat child obesity. In a 2007 New York case involving an adolescent girl who weighed 261 pounds, the court ordered nutritional counseling, cooking classes and gym workouts.

35-year-old Nicola McKeown, mother of 8-year-old Connor McCreaddie, almost lost custody of her 200-pound child in 2007 for feeding him too much. Authorities involved in the case called a “child protection conference” to consider removing him from his home, claiming “Child abuse is not just about hitting your children or sexually abusing them, it is also about neglect.” The meeting concluded with an agreement for health officials and a dietician to continue trying to help the family deal with Connor’s obesity, rather than removing him from the family home.

The USA Today article raises the question of a possible “Pandora’s Box” scenario. “What about the parents of every 16-year-old in Beverly Hills who’s too thin? Are they going to start arresting parents because their child is too thin?” Will parents of anorexic or bulimic kids be next on the list of the “fat police”?

• As a parent, when was the last time you took close inventory of the foods, snacks and drinks found in your kitchen, to determine whether or not changes are needed in your family’s diet?

• What personal eating habits are you teaching your children based on what you typically consume as the parent?

• What grocery store aisles do you spend most of your time and money while grocery shopping? The outer aisles with fresh meats, dairy, fruits and vegetables etc, or the inner aisles with high calorie, high fat, low nutritional processed foods and snacks? Are you and your family “junk food junkies”?

Where governmental agencies and health officials will draw the line between childhood obesity and child abuse is still unclear, but what is clear is that parents are primarily responsible for what their children consume and in what amount. School cafeteria meals have improved over the years, but there is still a lot of room for improvement. When parents overfeed their child to the point of obesity, parents puts the child at risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke etc, and are ignoring the health risks associated with overeating.

Characterizing child obesity as child abuse is stretching things a bit, but it appears the days of parents claiming their child is just a picky-eater and won’t eat healthy foods with proper portion control may be coming to an end. At least from a legal standpoint, because “Big Brother” is watching. According to the Institute of Medicine, NINE MILLION children in the United States over the age of six are considered obese, referring to obesity in children as “An Epidemic of Childhood Obesity”.

“The increasing number of obese children and youth throughout the United States has led policy makers to rank it as a critical public health threat. Since the 1970s, the prevalence (or percentage) of obesity has more than doubled for preschool children aged 2-5 years and adolescents aged 12-19 years, and it has more than tripled for children aged 6-11 years. At present, approximately nine million children over six years of age are obese.”

Children learn what they live. Parents have to educate themselves about the importance of eating healthy themselves, be good role models for their kids, in order to teach their children good eating habits, nutritional food choices, portion control and exercise to live healthy lifestyles.  Children and teenagers spend a lot of time sitting – watching television, playing video games and browsing the internet, rather than getting natural exercise on a regular basis.

Leading a sedentary lifestyle, while also eating the wrong foods and in the wrong proportions, leads to obesity and health problems. Many parents have wisely chosen to buy Wii Fit for themselves and their children, and when combined with healthy food choices, the results of losing weight and improving their overall health is a benefit the whole family can enjoy. We really don’t need governmental agencies to tell us this, do we?

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Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents, and is usually caused by eating too much and not getting enough exercise. Obesity in children living in the United States is of particular concern since 12.5 million children are overweight, and are at greater risk of serious health problems and diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, according to the Office of the Surgeon General.

While there are some genetic and hormonal causes of childhood obesity, studies show the primary cause of children being overweight is due to lifestyle issues such as eating more calories than is needed to support their growing bodies, daily activities and metabolism. Diseases like Prader-Willi syndrome and Cushing’s syndrome affect a very small proportion of children in society, whereas eating and exercise habits in families play a much larger role in the increase of childhood obesity.

Overweight children and adolescents are also more likely to become obese as adults. For example, one study found that nearly 80% of overweight children between the ages of 10-15 were obese adults at the age of 25. Another study found that 25% of obese adults were overweight children, also concluding that if excess weight occurs by the age of 8 years old, the likelihood of being obese as adults is far more severe.

Prevalence of Childhood Obesity

The risk factors and prevalence of childhood obesity threatens an entire generation of children, with serious health problems such as heart disease, strokes and cancer, causing scientists to forecast a 2 to 5-year drop in life expectancy unless drastic measures are taken to reduce or prevent obesity in children.

The most effective way of treating and preventing childhood obesity is for the entire family to adopt healthier eating habits and making exercise a priority. Dealing with overweight children, or preventing obesity in children, is a family matter that helps protect the health of children now and into their future. Parents who exercise poor nutritional habits and who lead sedentary lifestyles role model these behaviors for their children, with increased psychological problems such as low self-esteem and depression being common in overweight kids.

Kids are spending less time getting needed exercise, but more time parked in front of the TV, computer, or playing video-games. Sedentary kids are more likely to gain weight because they’re not burning calories through physical activity, but are often loading up on soft drinks, candy and other high-fat, high-calorie snacks and junk food.

Children that come from a family of overweight people may be predisposed to obesity, especially in a family environment where parents and other adults practice poor eating habits themselves, with high-calorie foods readily available and physical activity virtually nonexistent. Are you or your child overweight?

Treating and Preventing Obesity in Children

Express your unconditional love. Let your child know he or she is loved and appreciated whatever his or her weight. An overweight child probably knows better than anyone else that he or she has a weight problem. Overweight children need support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents.

Be a good role model. The old saying, “practice what you preach”, couldn’t be more true. Parents are responsible for putting healthy foods in the kitchen at home, as well as leaving unhealthy foods on the grocery store shelves. You really can’t blame your kids for wanting junk foods; after all they taste good. But, you can and need to control the amount of access children have to unhealthy foods, making sure to have an abundance of healthy foods and snacks for you and your kids to eat.

Set realistic goals. Even if you believe your child is a very picky eater, you can still establish reasonable goals for your children such as having your child eat fresh fruit for afternoon snacks, or limiting fast-food meals to just once a month. Offer milk or water instead of sodas or high-calorie fruit drinks. Use small food portions for children, rather than heaping too much food on their plate, as more food can be added as needed.

Don’t use food as a reward. Using food to reward children for good behavior is extremely counter-productive. Don’t do it. Plan frequent fun family activities that the entire family can enjoy together as a reward, that also help increase physical activity for your children and for yourselves, as well as offering praise and encouragement. Keep the TV turned off during meals, and consider having the family go for a walk or to the park after dinner a couple times each week.

Keep it positive. Don’t focus your attention on the weight but rather on the goal to living a healthier lifestyle. Never make fun of your child’s weight, or criticize them for their appearance, as this will cause them to want to comfort themselves with even more food. Treating obesity in children takes time and effort, and should never be treated as if it were a race.

Forget the clean-plate obsession. Learn to recognize hunger cues, and when children show their hunger has been satisfied, don’t force them to finish everything on their plate. Even babies turn away from a bottle or breast when they are no longer hungry, so it’s important to reinforce healthy behaviors by encouraging children to only eat when hungry and stop eating when they’ve had enough in order to avoid childhood obesity.

Do you have any further suggestions for parents and families dealing with childhood obesity that you’d like to pass along? Please leave your comment or question below.

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