Kaiser Permanente and Discovery Health Team Up to Fight Childhood Obesit...(isk or overweight children including ...),Health

recommended screening procedures and appropriate medical tests for the

onset of conditions like diabetes and glucose intolerance.

-- Recommendations for individualized counseling techniques with

sensitivities to cultural values or stigma.

-- Behavior modification strategies that emphasize the level of family

involvement as a key indicator of success.

Collaborating with Discovery Health CME to create this program is one of the many creative tools Kaiser Permanente has developed to educate and arm communities to fight childhood obesity. In September, Kaiser Permanente launched of "The Incredible Adventures of the Amazing Food Detective," the first-ever, free, online bilingual video game designed to teach children how to eat healthier, get more active and manage the time they spend in front of the television and computer.

Sarah Barlow, M.D., M.P.H., Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine and author of new recommendations from an expert committee on the prevention, assessment and treatment of childhood obesity, strongly advocates addressing the problem through community, family, and school-based programs as well as healthcare programs. This broad, multidisciplinary approach is needed to change the behaviors of children and prevent progression to adult obesity and the serious health issues that accompany it.

"Childhood obesity in this country has skyrocketed to 1 in 4 children being overweight or obese. As a result, weight-related type 2 diabetes and other conditions, previously considered to be adult problems, are now emerging in children," Dr. Barlow said. "For the first time in history, life expectancy may be shorter for our children than their parents'. We need to look for new ways to reach out to parents and healthcare professionals to teach lifestyle changes and counseling techniques. This program is an innovative strategy to tackle the
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