Our Supersized Kids

Summary

The video script addresses the alarming rise of childhood obesity, highlighting its serious health implications such as early onset of type-2 diabetes and hypertension. It emphasizes the importance of early intervention, as overweight children are likely to become obese adults. The script shares personal stories of families battling obesity, the role of cultural eating habits, and the impact of processed foods and sedentary lifestyles. It also showcases the effectiveness of family-based lifestyle changes and the necessity for parents to be role models for healthy habits, ultimately stressing the collective effort required to combat this epidemic.

Takeaways

• 📊 Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic with nearly a third of children being overweight or obese, leading to serious health risks like type-2 diabetes and hypertension.
• 👨‍👧 Parents often misinterpret their child's weight status, with many believing that overweight children will outgrow their weight, but statistics show that 75% of overweight children become obese adults.
• 📈 The problem of childhood obesity is deeply rooted, starting early in a child's life and often linked to cultural and family habits, including large food portions and high-calorie diets.
• 🏥 Early detection and intervention are crucial in managing childhood obesity, with the goal of slowing weight gain and allowing height to catch up during growth.
• 👩‍👧‍👦 Ethnic and socioeconomic factors play a significant role in obesity rates, with higher percentages of African American and Latino children being overweight or obese compared to white children.
• 🌟 Success in combating childhood obesity involves the whole family making changes together, emphasizing the importance of role modeling healthy behaviors by parents.
• 🍎 Making healthier food choices and reducing portion sizes are key components of weight management, with the need to educate families on proper nutrition and portion control.
• 🏃‍♂️ Physical activity is essential for children, with at least 60 minutes of exercise recommended daily to counteract the effects of a sedentary lifestyle and promote a healthy weight.
• 📺 Excessive screen time is linked to obesity in children, as it reduces the time available for physical activity and can lead to poor dietary choices.
• 📝 Keeping a food journal can be an effective tool for families to become more aware of their eating habits and make necessary adjustments to promote a healthier lifestyle.
• 💪 The journey to a healthier weight for children is a long-term commitment that requires ongoing support, education, and lifestyle changes by the entire family.

Q & A

What is the current situation regarding childhood obesity mentioned in the script?

The script highlights that nearly a third of children are overweight or obese, with numbers continuing to rise, indicating a serious epidemic of childhood obesity.

What are some of the medical complications associated with childhood obesity discussed in the script?

The script mentions that children are experiencing significant medical complications related to obesity at younger ages, such as Type-2 Diabetes, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol.

Why is it dangerous to consider being overweight as 'normal' in today's society?

The script emphasizes that being overweight is not 'normal' and is dangerous because it can lead to serious health issues and a higher likelihood of an overweight child becoming an obese adult.

What is the BMI and how is it used to determine if a child is overweight or obese?

BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a simple height-to-weight ratio that provides a snapshot of whether a child is overweight for his or her age. A BMI above the 85th percentile indicates a child is overweight, and above 95% indicates obesity.

Why is it crucial to address childhood obesity at an early age?

The script points out that addressing obesity early is crucial because it is harder to reverse after puberty, and because children who are overweight are likely to become obese adults.

How does the script suggest the family's role in a child's weight issues?

The script suggests that the family plays a significant role in a child's weight issues, as children learn their eating habits from their parents, and the family's lifestyle can contribute to a child becoming overweight.

What are some of the cultural factors contributing to obesity in certain communities mentioned in the script?

The script discusses how certain cultural practices, such as the belief that feeding kids whenever they ask for food is an expression of love, can contribute to obesity, particularly in Latino communities.

How does the script describe the impact of obesity on a child's emotional well-being?

The script describes the impact of obesity on emotional well-being as significant, with children experiencing low self-esteem, bullying, and feelings of isolation.

What are some of the strategies mentioned in the script for combating childhood obesity?

The script mentions strategies such as making healthy changes as a family, involving the whole family in lifestyle changes, and participating in programs like Group Health's Countdown to Healthy Living pilot program.

How does the script emphasize the importance of physical activity in maintaining a healthy weight?

The script emphasizes the importance of at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day and suggests that reducing 'screen time' can lead to more exercise and healthier body weight.

What is the significance of role modeling in addressing childhood obesity according to the script?

The script highlights the significance of role modeling by stating that if parents are dedicated to living a healthy lifestyle and making changes, children are more likely to follow suit and adopt those healthy behaviors.

Outlines

00:00

😨 Childhood Obesity Epidemic

The video script begins by highlighting the alarming rise in childhood obesity, with nearly a third of children being overweight or obese. It emphasizes the serious health risks associated with obesity, such as type-2 diabetes, hypertension, and elevated cholesterol, which are now seen in younger ages. The script stresses the importance of recognizing the issue and not considering obesity as 'normal' due to its prevalence. It introduces the Cordero family, whose son Elijah's weight gain was initially dismissed as 'baby fat' until a doctor's visit revealed a more concerning situation involving his BMI and potential health complications.

05:04

🔍 Identifying the Problem: Overweight vs. Obesity

This paragraph delves into the specifics of how to identify if a child is overweight or obese, using BMI as a key indicator. It discusses the percentiles that define a child as overweight (above 85%) or obese (above 95%) and the health risks associated with these conditions, such as borderline diabetes. The Cordero family's realization of their son's health risks and the societal norms that often mask the severity of childhood obesity are highlighted. The paragraph also touches on the long-term implications of childhood obesity, noting that it often persists into adulthood and the importance of early intervention.

10:08

🌟 Early Detection and Prevention

The script focuses on the importance of early detection and prevention of childhood obesity, using the story of 9-year-old Anna Ota, who was identified as overweight and borderline diabetic. It underscores the role of parents and the healthcare system in catching weight issues early while children are still growing. The narrative discusses the family's efforts to manage Anna's weight through healthy eating and exercise, aiming to slow down weight gain and allow height to catch up. The paragraph also addresses the challenges faced by Yesenia Torres, a single mother of five, in recognizing and addressing obesity within her family and the greater risk it poses to Latino communities.

15:09

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family-Centered Approach to Obesity

The fourth paragraph introduces the Group Health's Countdown to Healthy Living pilot program, which takes a family-centered approach to combat childhood obesity. It emphasizes the importance of involving the entire family in making lifestyle changes, including diet and physical activity, to ensure long-term success. The script shares the story of Caleb Helm, who experienced teasing and low self-esteem due to his weight, and how his family's involvement in his weight management journey contributed to his improved health and well-being.

20:09

📊 Portion Control and Healthy Eating

This paragraph discusses the issue of portion distortion and its contribution to obesity, highlighting how food portion sizes have significantly increased over the years, leading to overconsumption. It provides examples of appropriate portion sizes for different food groups and contrasts them with the oversized portions commonly served. The script also addresses the rise in consumption of processed foods, which are often high in added sugars, fats, and salt, and the negative impact this has on health, including the stripping of essential nutrients and fiber from the diet.

25:10

🏃‍♂️ The Importance of Physical Activity

The script emphasizes the necessity of physical activity for maintaining a healthy weight, suggesting at least 60 minutes of activity daily. It contrasts the decrease in traditional play among children with the increase in 'screen time' and its correlation with higher body weight. The paragraph also discusses the negative effects of having TVs in children's bedrooms and the role of parental role modeling in encouraging physical activity. It shares the experiences of families who have successfully increased their activity levels and the positive impact on their children's health.

💔 Emotional Struggles and Turning Points

The final paragraph shares personal stories of individuals who have struggled with being overweight, including Michelle James, who turned her life around after reaching a personal low point. It discusses the emotional triggers that can lead to overeating, such as grief and low self-esteem, and the impact this can have on a person's life choices and overall well-being. The script concludes with a message of hope and the transformative power of lifestyle changes, as seen in the positive outcomes for Michelle and the children featured in the script.

Keywords

💡Obesity

Obesity refers to a medical condition where a person has an excessive amount of body fat, typically indicated by a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher. In the video's context, obesity is a central theme, highlighting the serious epidemic of childhood obesity and its potential long-term health consequences. The script mentions that 'An overweight child usually grows up to be an obese adult,' emphasizing the importance of addressing this issue early in life.

💡Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is a numerical value calculated from a person's weight and height, used to assess whether an individual has a healthy body weight for their age. The script explains that a BMI 'above the 85 percentile indicates a child is overweight,' and 'above 95% means the child is obese,' which are critical thresholds in identifying weight-related health risks in children.

💡Epidemic

An epidemic is a widespread occurrence of an illness or condition in a community at a particular time. The video script describes childhood obesity as 'a serious epidemic,' indicating the scale and urgency of the issue. The term is used to stress the rapid increase in the number of children affected by obesity and the collective impact on society.

💡Type-2 Diabetes

Type-2 Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the way the body processes blood sugar (glucose). The script mentions that children with obesity are now being diagnosed with Type-2 Diabetes at younger ages, which was previously unheard of under the age of 20, illustrating the severity of the obesity-related health complications.

💡Portion Distortion

Portion distortion refers to the tendency to consume larger quantities of food than are necessary or healthy. The video script addresses this issue, noting that 'unfortunately, most of us suffer from portion distortion,' and that food portion sizes have significantly increased over the years, contributing to obesity.

💡Fast Foods

Fast foods are meals that can be prepared and served quickly, often associated with high calorie, unhealthy content. The script implicates fast foods, along with 'greasy foods and sugary drinks,' as contributors to the obesity epidemic, suggesting a link between dietary habits and weight-related health issues.

💡Physical Activity

Physical activity encompasses any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. The video emphasizes the importance of at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily for children, noting that reduced activity and increased 'screen time' are linked to obesity.

💡Role Modeling

Role modeling is the act of being a visual or tangible example of a behavior or attitude that others can follow. In the context of the video, parents are urged to role model a healthy lifestyle, as their actions directly influence their children's habits, particularly regarding diet and exercise.

💡Screen Time

Screen time refers to the amount of time spent watching TV, using computers, or playing video games. The script points out that excessive screen time can lead to a decrease in physical activity and an increase in obesity rates among children, as it displaces time that could be spent being active.

💡Processed Foods

Processed foods are foods that have been altered from their natural state, often to extend shelf life or enhance flavor, typically at the expense of nutritional value. The video script warns about the high consumption of processed foods, which are 'full of added sugars, fats, and salt,' and their detrimental impact on health.

💡Self-Esteem

Self-esteem refers to the value and respect a person holds for themselves. The script discusses the psychosocial and emotional effects of being overweight, such as low self-esteem and bullying, which can have a profound impact on a child's mental health and social interactions.

Highlights

Childhood obesity is a serious epidemic with a third of children overweight or obese.

Obese children are developing illnesses like Type-2 Diabetes and hypertension at younger ages.

An overweight child is likely to become an obese adult due to societal and environmental factors.

The Cordero family's story illustrates the shock of realizing a child's weight is a health risk.

BMI is a crucial indicator of a child's weight relative to their age and height.

75% of the time, children do not outgrow being overweight, leading to long-term health issues.

Early intervention is key in managing a child's weight before it becomes a chronic problem.

Anna Ota's story shows the importance of addressing weight issues early in childhood.

Yesenia Torres' experience highlights the challenges of obesity in low-income communities of color.

Cultural habits and attitudes towards food can contribute to obesity rates.

Innovative programs like Group Health's Countdown to Healthy Living are making a difference.

Family involvement is crucial for long-term success in weight management.

Caleb Helm's transformation demonstrates the impact of support and lifestyle changes.

Psychosocial and emotional factors are significant in the lives of overweight children.

Small dietary changes, like eliminating soda, can lead to significant health improvements.

Portion control is a significant factor in combating obesity, with many people consuming much larger portions than necessary.

Processed foods often contain high levels of sugars, fats, and salts, contributing to health issues.

Physical activity is essential for maintaining a healthy weight and should be incorporated into daily routines.

Excessive screen time is linked to obesity, with children spending less time exercising and more time watching TV.

Michelle James' story of overcoming obesity as an adult shows the long-term effects of being overweight.

Role modeling a healthy lifestyle by parents is fundamental in preventing childhood obesity.

Transcripts

Is THIN going extinct?

Nearly a third of our children are overweight or obese.

And the numbers continue to rise.

Childhood Obesity is a serious epidemic.

We're at risk of raising

"supersized" kids who may live sicker and die

younger than the generation before them.

Because at younger and younger ages we're

starting to see children with significant medical

complications related to being obese.

Type-2 Diabetes, hypertension, elevated cholesterol.

These are illnesses that we had not seen under the

age of 20 before.

With so many of us being

overweight these days, sometimes being fat looks,

well, "normal, "but it is not, and it is dangerous.

An overweight child usually grows up to be an obese adult.

We're in the midst of an epidemic of

obesity in this country, between fast foods,

greasy foods, and sugary drinks.

If we don't change what we do

we will be a society of obese

people, and I don't thing anybody wants that.

It's very scary and it's very real. That's why we need

to do something about it now.

♪ ♪

Is it "baby fat" or what?

How do you know if your child is a healthy weight?

This is the Cordero Family.

Ten year old Elijah has always been a big boy.

I always thought he was bigger, but I didn't really think that

there was a problem.

We didn't have much food growing up.

I figured if they had a full belly

they'd be happy you know.

I guess I always thought

he was big boned. I just thought, you know, he is

eating every meal, it's good.

"Here's his growth chart"

A doctor's visit told a different story.

Elijah's Body Mass Index,

or BMI, showed his weight was growing faster than

his height. A BMI is a simple height-to-weight

ratio that provides a useful snapshot of whether

a child is overweight for his or her age.

I was shocked.

I guess I didn't realize what we were doing to him.

A BMI above the 85 percentile indicates a

child is overweight. It means the child weighs

more than 85% of their peers. Above 95% means the

child is obese.

The borderline diabetes is

what scared me the most. And I just thought, you

know, I don't want him to have to give himself shots

every day you can't go back and fix it.

The Cordero's are not alone. Most parents don't realize

their child is overweight or how serious it is.

Sometimes the "chubby" kid may not stand out in our

overweight society. And it's kind of hard to

accept that more than half the people that we meet

everyday are either overweight or obese.

Many parents think their child will grow

into the extra weight.

Sometimes that's true, but 75% of the time

it is not. Two out of three overweight 10 year

olds will grow up to be obese adults.

In the past

people would think, "Oh they'll just grow out of it."

But what we're seeing now is that kids don't

grow out of it. They become obese adolescents,

they become obese young adults,

they become obese adults.

What we need to realize is that it didn't

happen in one, two, three, or even five years. It

started when the kids were 2, 3 years old.

And that's the urgency.

♪ ♪

Did you know our genes are not our Destiny?

Nine year old Anna Ota loves Guinea Pigs and

doing crafts with her Mom. But life hasn't always

been so happy. Two years ago Anna was very upset

about her weight. She would come home and cry

because kids would have called her fat. This

little girl told Anna that she was too heavy to sit

on Santa's lap.

A visit to the doctor confirmed her

fears. Anna was overweight and a borderline diabetic.

Her dad has diabetes,her grandpa has diabetes, and

my mom has diabetes. I was really worried, because if

she was that big at that age, how much bigger is

she going to get? How many more health problems is

she going to have?

Anna was lucky because they

caught her weight problem early, while she was still

growing. Prevention is key, because if we can

catch these children when they are in the category

of being overweight, catch them early and really

enforce that the principles of healthy

eating and exercise, food portions, then most of

these children still have lots of time to grow.

The goal is to slow down the weight gain and let the

height catch up as the child grows.

While Anna is younger and still growing,

nature is working right along with her.

It's much more difficult after puberty.

It's critical that we address these

issues at as young an age as possible and we are

working with the bodies physiology.

Many obese adolescents were obese children.

If you go back and look at their growth charts,

you can see that they were already above

the 96 percentile when they were 2 or 3.

They've already had a decade of obesity.

♪

Yesenia Torres is a single mother of five.

She knows that her Latino heritage puts her family

at greater risk for obesity and its associated problems.

A lot of people from our culture is overweight.

We eat too much, and

we eat big portions of food.

An expression of love is feeding the

kids whenever they ask for food.

Its not loving them. I realize that, that's not loving

them, which I used to do that.

With David especially.

Nowhere is the Childhood Obesity crisis

more pronounced than in low-income communities

of color.

Across the country, more than 35 percent of

African American children and nearly 40 percent of

Latino children are obese or overweight, compared

with about 29 percent of white children. And one in

every two African American and Latina girls are at

risk of developing diabetes during their

lifetimes-a far higher percentage than

white girls.

♪

Yesenia's oldest daughter, Nathaly, is one

of those statistics. She was diagnosed with

diabetes at age 15.

I felt like there was something

wrong with my body, I already knew at 12 or 13

because of all the headaches and how i felt.

Because when my

blood sugar goes down, my legs get shakey, I can't

pick up anything and it gets really hot, it's

really bad.

♪

When Yesenia's ten-year-old son David,

began gaining excess weight, she got scared. My

son, David, was overweight, and he was

close to the obese line. She did a cholesterol

test, it was high; his blood sugar, he was on the

borderline for diabetes, and that's why it

concerned me more. I already have a daughter

with diabetes, so I didn't want David to get to that

point. It's very hard to accept the fact that our

children are overweight. Because where do the

children get their food from. They are getting it

from us. Where are they learning their habits.

They're learning it from us. So it's very emotional

to think, Gosh, my habits and my lifestyle has

caused my child to have health issues and that's

hard to accept.

I felt really bad. I didn't know what I was

doing wrong. I wanted to learn What else can I do to be

better? To feed David better. So he wasn't overweight.

The good news is things can change.

New innovative programs are showing

promise in fighting Childhood Obesity. Group

Health's Countdown to Healthy Living pilot

program is one example. The program works with the

entire family to make healthy changes.

We work with them and help them identify their

barriers to changing their lifestyles

and encouraging more physical activity in their home,

changing some of their dietary nutrition

habits in the home, and doing it together as a family.

Kids of these ages

they are not in charge. They don't buy the food,

don't control the screen time. They're not in charge.

So if you don't involve the whole family,

then the likelihood of long term success is limited.

Well, you can't just have one person do it.

You all have to jump on board. You all have to

be willing to make the changes. And if he sees us

making the changes, he will.

Making healthy changes as a family

makes all the difference.

We used to serve ourselves the large plate,

now we serve the small plate. Even my mother.

We don't call it loosing weight.

We don't call it dieting.It's a change in eating style.

It's making healthier choices.

Instead of that candy bar, how about an

apple or orange.

I feel the success rate for

children depends on the parents. So, if parents are onboard

for making changes, I find that the children

are very successful.

This is 12 year old Caleb Helm.

He loves playing sports,

scouting and playing music. Today Caleb looks

and feels great, but it wasn't always that way.

About eight he started to have a little poochy belly

on him. I figured oh, he's probably just going to

have a growth spurt really soon.

Caleb did not grow out of it.

By age 10, kids at school were teasing him

and calling him fat. Caleb was a 10 year old kid with

the weight of a 13 year old kid. He was kind of

off the charts.

Caleb's mom was also an overweight child.

She knows first-hand what it can do

to your self-esteem.

I really felt isolated. Felt like I

couldn't do something because I was

conscious about my body.

The psychosocial and emotional factors

associated with a child being overweight

are just as significant as the medical

complications actually. Most obese

children do have low self-esteem, they have

problems with being bullied at school, they're

being teased, which causes some of them to be

introverts; it can be very devastating to them as

individuals. Everyday he asks, does it look like

I'm loosing weight. Everyday he asks. So I

know he cares about it.

They have no peer support because the may not have

alot of friends, and so what makes them feel good is to eat

food. So it's kind of vicious circle.

♪

Small changes can make a BIG difference in your health.

We used to eat out all the time. Breakfast, lunch,

dinner, Oh hey, let's go get ice cream, you know.

Got rid of the pop, that was the

first. We'd go through a case of pop a day easy.

Eating out, the McDonald's every morning. Three

sausage McMuffins on his way to school. (Five.

Five. He'd eat five easy)

I used to just be happy that they

ate breakfast. I wouldn't care what they ate

for breakfast,as long as it was breakfast. So, a

plate of nachos was perfectly acceptable as

long as he was eating. Come home after school and

grab some chips and a pop. Sit down and watch TV on

the couch.

So I brought five pounds of fat, and I

want everybody to touch it, to look at it. I'm

going to pass it around the table.

Those days are long gone. The Countdown for Healthy

Living classes were a real eye opener.

that's when I got more scared about what we were eating.

I saw the junk!

I went home that night, after the first group

meeting, and I cleared my whole kitchen out. by the

time we were done, we had two garbage bag fulls.

So this one is a hamburger. It's 410 calories. I find

most of it is people are just not educated in how

to be healthy. They haven't had the

information on how to provide a healthy

lifestyle for themselves or for families.

Keeping a food journal is a great

way to get started.

Once you started seeing on paper, written down what

you're doing it really started kicking in. They

would have us measure out all the food. All the food

intake that he was eating down to calories, portions

and ounces. On the peanut butter you put on the

sandwich and the slice of bread. Once you start

writing it all down, it's just amazing how much

you're putting in your mouth. It taught us a lot

lot we didn't even know we were doing. Not just to

him, to ourselves, you know.

♪

Food gives our body

the energy it needs to do the activities we love. To

maintain a healthy weight, we need to balance the

amount of energy or calories we take in in the

form of food with energy we use by being active.

Unfortunately, most of us suffer from portion distortion.

We're just eating way too much. Big portions.

Especially once we start seeing how big

the portions really are supposed to be. I was

times-ing them by six easy. Big big portions.

Food portion sizes have really grown over the last

20 years. And, not just in restaurants, at home too.

Many times our plate arrives with enough food

on it for two or even three people. Hamburgers

have expanded by 23 percent; a plate of

Mexican food is 27 percent bigger; Soft drinks have

increased in size by 52 percent; Snacks are 60

percent larger. So it's not surprising that our

kids are getting larger too. Studies show, if it

is there, we eat it, whether we are full or

not.

So what is a normal portion size anyway?

A portion size for meat, chicken or fish is roughly

the size of a deck of cards. For potatoes, rice

or pasta it's roughly the size of the palm of your

hand, or one cup. Vegetables, however are

pretty much all you can eat.

But, it's not only

that we eat too much, It is what we're eating.

They had all these different displays. Just the fat

content in the meat, sugar in sodas.

how much oil was in each snack.

And you can see it and feel it. You could

touch it. We wanted to wring our bodies out.

Today, 23% of our grocery dollars goes

toward processed packaged foods. That has more than

doubled in the last 20 years. It's fast, easy and

inexpensive. But it comes at a price. Most processed

packaged foods are full of added sugars, fats, and

salt. It was so scary, really scary it was like

Oh My God, I'm feeding my kids that! But equally

troubling is what has been removed from our food.

Processed foods are often stripped of nutrients and

fiber designed by nature to protect your body and

keep you healthy. 13. Okay there was 13 teaspoons in

this bottle. What kids are drinking is also part of

the problem. Most Kids consume over 100 pounds of

sugar a year. Much of it in sugary drinks and soda.

An enormous amount of sugar. They showed it

granulated so you actually could see how much sugar

you're putting in your body.

♪

Our bodies need to move. Run, jump, bend, and play.

At least 60 minutes every day.

When we were kids we used to play, kick the can,

that sort of thing. We learned that

from other people in our neighborhood.

These days there is a lot of electronic gadgetry

kids don't play as much as they used to.

Mounting research shows that the amount of time a

child spends watching TV and using other media is

linked to their body weight. Too much "screen

time" translates into less exercise time and bigger

waistlines. Studies show that Kids with TVs in

their bedrooms are twice as likely to be obese.

Plus, The American Academy of Pediatrics' recently

reported that our children," watch too much

TV, don't get enough exercise, see too many

junk food ads and don't get enough sleep." It's no

wonder our kids our overweight.

♪

Moving more as a family is key.

But it's not necessarily about getting a health club

membership or joining a sports team.

We focused on physical activity as a

family. So whether that meant walking in the park,

doing jazzercise in your home. What we wanted was

the family, as a unit, to just move more.

We discovered that it was important to have the

parents involved. We didn't for the first

session. The parents didn't do the physical

activity with us. And we discovered if we re-taught

them how to play, allowed them to be silly with

their kids that seemed to break down a lot of

barriers and get them more active in the time they

weren't here with us.

Role modeling is key. As a parent

you have to be willing to participate and

model the behavior that you want your child to

pick up.

♪

Snacks are important because we don't

want to be so hungry at dinnertime that we

overeat. Caleb got to be around other kids that

were experiencing the same type of things that he was

experiencing. He got to talk about what it was

like to feel excluded, teased, and know that he's

not the only one. Some of these kids have changed

schools many times because of bullying. Some of them

have never felt like they fit in or that others paid

much attention to them in a positive way so this is

an environment where they did feel like they fit in,

they got to do everything that everyone else was

doing.

♪

At 15, Michelle James was overweight.

Everything revolved around food, whether it was,

because I was sad or because I was happy, you

know. It was all about the food.

Now, at 32, Michelle

can still remember the pain of growing up

overweight. I didn't really dwell on the fact

that I was overweight because it was too hard.

I would never joke about my weight. I was not one of

those people that would just make light of it

because it really did bug me.

Michelle was the only

heavy one in her family. I wasn't the pretty one.

I wasn't the skinny one. That was my sister.

Looking back, Michelle can pinpoint a string of

tragic events that coincide with her

ballooning weight. I have had a lot of loss. I love

people with my whole heart. But then when

they're gone, it's like my whole heart hurts. To ease

the pain, Michelle began to over eat. I didn't know

what to do, with the feelings of loss and of

grief and the hurt and pain. I didn't really have

anyone to talk to, so you just eat. And it just kind

of makes everything go away for a period of time.

There are some kids who've had a normal weight, or

maybe slightly higher weight their whole lives.

And then something happens. And it can be a

significant life event. It could be a car accident

involving a family member or it could be a loss in

the family, a divorce. Some major life event. For

some kids it can happen very quickly. You can see

8-10 pounds in a month.

Being an overweight teenager affected

Michelle's self-confidence. It was hard to make

friends and easy to fall in with the wrong crowd.

She made some poor choices.

Especially when it came to dating boys.

I ended up pregnant at 17, my senior year of

high school. I just think a lot of it had to do with

my weight, because I was overweight and struggled

with self-confidence. I chose to date someone who,

you know, wasn't really concerned about me.

Two weeks after Michelle graduated from high

school, she made the tough decision to give her baby

up for adoption. It was one more loss to deal with.

That was a major loss at 18. And what do

you do with that as an 18 year old. You just eat.

I ate.

♪

Elmo's off to school...

Three years ago, Michelle had had enough I

looked in the mirror, and I had become a person

I didn't recognize. And I thought this is not the

person I want to be, and it started with working

through my feelings and realizing how I had been

eating myself into a hole. Michelle is married now

with a beautiful daughter and another child on the

way. With the help of a church group, a nutrition

plan and lots of exercise Michelle has lost over 80

pounds over the last 3 years. She is dedicated to

living a healthy lifestyle and being fit. I don't

feel like my life is controlled by my next

meal. There's a freedom in being able to say No to

certain foods. And there's a freedom that comes in

being able to go out and run a mile, that's freeing

to feel like your body works the way it was

created to work. It's freedom.

After two years,

David, Anna, Caleb and Elijah are also seeing

positive results. I see a big result on David. He

lost about 15 pounds. He is a different kid.

He didn't used to fit in a lot of clothes. Now, he's

so excited it's loose on him.

And then I noticed she's loosing weight

and her doctor did too. And I'm like it's

working you know, this is great.

So, it's really improved her self-esteem.

It's not going to happen over night. But if you start

making the changes, and he sees you making the

changes then he will eventually make the

changes

. These kids are the lucky ones. Their parents are

dedicated to role modeling a healthy life style.

That's where it starts. I see it,

I hear it, I taste it, I do it, I live it. And if we

can start with moms and, and dads when the kids are

young, to role model those behaviors, that's where

we start.

And I asked him, how you feel. I feel good mom.

Look I'm so Skinny! I'm getting a six-pack.

He started cross country, and then he did

Bloomsday training, and then he wanted to play

basketball, and I think that he doesn't really

view himself as a fat kid anymore.

♪

♪