Understanding Childhood Obesity (Understanding Health and Sickness Series) by J. Clinton Smith Paperback - 120 pages Published by Univ Pr of Mississippi (Trd) Publication date: June 1999 Dimensions (in inches): 0.50 x 8.42 x 5.34 ISBN: 1578061342 Order This Book

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Childhood obesity is a growing health concern for parents and health care professionals. In the U.S., the percentage of obese children is increasing each decade and with it, the health and well-being of obese children is becoming a nation-wide concern. The effects of obesity influence the heart and blood vessels, the respiratory system, cause diabetes and affect many other body systems as well as overall mortality.

Why and how do children become obese, what can we do to prevent obesity and how can we help obese children are some of the questions that are answered in this book. This is not light magazine-style reading material, but the author does provide excellent translations of technical terms relating to the macro- and micro- functions of the body's digestive and energy storing systems.

He also describes the environmental (school, social and home-based) factors that affect children and how those contribute significantly to obesity. The treatments for obesity are detailed including calorie restrictions, increasing physical activities and behavior modification.

Description

• An explanation of how obesity is identified
• A frank discussion of 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

Almost 14 percent of American children over the age of six and 12 percent of all 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 a physician offers a comprehensive guide that covers nearly every field of obesity research. He explores the causes and methods of control, the body's physical and chemical makeup, prevention strategies, new treatments and behavior modifications, and future possibilities.

About the Author

Smith, M.D., J. Clinton is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics (Cardiology) and an Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine at the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He has taught at Louisiana State University, practiced privately in pediatrics, and he has served as Medical Director to the Tennessee State Department of Health and Environment and as Executive Director of the Division of Medicaid to the Office of the Governor, State of Mississippi.