Stopping the Childhood Obesity Epidemic

WASHINGTON, DC -- (MARKET WIRE) -- 12/27/05 -- This summer, thousands of over-sized kids will attend summer camp -- "fat camps" as they are somewhat derisively called -- in hopes of losing weight that has been otherwise difficult to shed. They will exercise, perhaps for the first time since toddlerhood, and learn about nutrition and eating meals with portions that many would consider a light snack.

It's part of a reaction to a crisis both perceived and real. Young people, more than ever, are feeling the pressure to look trim and fit. But it's not just body-image issues that drive this trend. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of young people who are overweight has tripled since 1980. And obesity, the CDC says, is clearly tied to health problems like hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and many others. The problem doesn't just stop with overweight children, though. Lifelong eating habits are established in childhood according to the CDC. The result is that the U.S. is in a population-wide obesity crisis.

Despite debate about specific guidelines for nutrition, most agree, losing weight is primarily about nutrition and adequate exercise. For children specifically, however, "The most successful obesity treatments involve the cooperation of the entire family," says Dr. Henry Anhalt, director of the division of pediatric endocrinology and diabetes at the Saint Barnabas Medical Center in New Jersey. "It involves a total lifestyle change."

Anhalt has been working on obesity solutions for children for years. And although his approach to weight control is multi-faceted, he says, "Obesity is a matter of nutrition, not willpower." According to published research, obese children lack important nutrients compared to regular-weight children.

These findings have raised concerns about the ability of obese children to lose weight. According to Anhalt, a child that is not healthy cannot exercise sufficiently to burn calories. Overweight children, he says, need more than smaller food portions. They need specific nutritional intervention.

To address this problem, Anhalt and his colleagues developed a line of supplements, called EssentiaLean, designed to provide the nutrients found missing in overweight children. They are on a mission to help families bring about lasting lifestyle change that will solve the obesity dilemma.

For more information or to set up an interview with Dr. Anhalt, please contact Jay Wilke at 727-443-7115, ext. 223 or at jayw@event-management.com.

To learn more, please see www.essentialean.com