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Pediatric & Adult Obesity |
| Obesity is at an all time high in the United States. Recent research
showed that overweight and obese children experience a range of
psychological and medical difficulties that significantly impact on the
quality of their lives. These include teasing at school, isolation from
peers, impaired physical functioning, sleep apnea and a range of other
obesity-linked problems. In fact, parents of overweight children and the
children themselves, reported their quality of life to be comparable to
that reported by childhood cancer patients (Schwimmer, 2003). These
findings suggest that many overweight children are at risk for developing
depression, anxiety and other problems of psychosocial adjustment. In
addition, being an overweight child greatly increases the likelihood of
becoming an obese adult. Fortunately, researchers and clinicians from
multiple backgrounds have developed strategies for both coping with the
stress associated with obesity, and, making important behavioral changes
to live a healthier lifestyle. These tools include training children to
recognize triggers to overeating, learning ways to control stimuli
associated with eating, implementing contingency plans to support
behavioral changes, cognitive restructuring, and relapse prevention. The
support of family members is often crucial to helping children achieve
success in making lasting lifestyle changes.
Dr. Beth DeFrino is our staff member with expertise in working with overweight children and their families. Click here for more information about this program. |