Conquer the Epidemic of Adolescent Obesity By Dr. Mwata Dyson Medical Correspondent, Educator, and Practitioner In the last 25 years, childhood obesity has tripled; today, nearly 25 million U.S children and adolescents are overweight or nearly overweight, according to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The Hispanic and Native American populations have experienced higher-than-average obesity rates in Arizona, causing statewide obesity rates to exceed those of the national average and creating an urgent need for health awareness and education. More alarmingly, a recent study shows that many American parents do not recognize their children’s obesity. A survey of 2,060 adults found that parents of younger overweight children believe they will grow out of their obesity, or that something will change as the child gets older. About 43 percent of parents with an obese or extremely overweight child age 6-11 believed their child was “about the right weight”; 37 percent said their child was “slightly overweight”; and 13 percent said “very overweight.” Others even believed their children were “slightly underweight.” Medical expert Dr. Mwata Dyson fears that parents are not recognizing the severity of the disease nor taking proactive roles towards their future. “Parents need to educate their children from an early age and lead by example to show them how to lead a healthy, active lifestyle. It is distressing that so many of the procedures I see in the operating room are directly related to obesity and could have simply been prevented though diet, exercise and overall health awareness.” How can you know if your child is at risk or already obese? • Body Mass Index: Determined by age, gender, height and weight. A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. • Poor diet: Regular consumption of high-calorie foods such as fast foods, vending machine foods, soft drinks, etc. • Physical inactivity: If your child is not exercising enough to burn the calories they consume. • Genetics: If your child comes from a family of overweight people, he or she may have a genetic predisposition to weight gain. • Psychological factors: If your child eats to cope with stress, emotional problems or boredom. Reverse the epidemic. Here are some simple steps for parents and children to prevent childhood obesity: • Encourage healthy eating habits: Eat seven servings of fruits and vegetables a day, low-fat dairy, reasonable meal portions, and avoid foods with high fructose corn syrup. Find low-fat recipes, limit unhealthy fast food and do not use food as a reward for good behavior. • Engage in regular physical activity: Children and teens need at least 60 minutes of moderate daily physical activity. Encourage sports, exercise with them or, instead, walk from A to B rather than driving the car. • Limit sedentary time: Help them avoid too much television watching, video games, surfing the Internet, etc. Limit these activities to two hours each day, and instead encourage fun physical activities. • Education: It is imperative that parents are fully aware of the serious nature of the disease in order to properly educate their children. Doctors also need to take every opportunity to educate both parents and children. • Lead by example: Be a good role model for children. Show them how much fun it can be to lead a healthy, active lifestyle. • Explain the dangers: By informing adolescents of the potential future health risks that occur with obesity, they become empowered with the knowledge to make healthy choices.   Dr. Dyson is a medical expert who has worked with a broad range of medical and surgical specialties, including neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery, obstetrics/gynecology, pediatrics, pain management and more. He is committed to educating patients on preventive healthcare measures, nutrition and overall healthy lifestyles. He is a member of the Phoenix Suns medical staff and currently practices anesthesiology in private practice. He is president and founder of Paradise Anesthesia. For more information, visit www.doctordyson.com.