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Government Task Force on Childhood Obesity
By: Scottsdale Weight Loss Center
Published: March 5, 2010
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This year the government launched a task force to combat childhood obesity. The campaign Lets Move, is lead by First Lady Michelle Obama, an aims to improve school lunches and snacks, increase physical activity, and make healthy food more affordable. The task force is accepting comments from the public. We at Scottsdale Weight Loss Center support any and all efforts that will accomplish the goal of improving child health and reduction in childhood obesity.
My recommendations, as submitted to the task force are as follows:
It is a well established goal that children should receive 5 servings of whole fruits and vegetables daily. Few children achieve this goal. I wanted to make you aware of a resolution recently passed by the AAP at its recent Annual Leadership Forum regarding fruit juice. We applaud recent changes that reduce fruit juice in WIC packages and discussions to limit fruit juice intake in childcare centers.
However, our organization supports the intake of whole fruits and vegetables rather than 100% fruit juice and we advocate eliminating fruit juice completely from schools and childcare centers, in exchange for whole fruit.
Whole fruit offers the following benefits: 1. Whole fruit is lower in caloric density than fruit juice. It provides added fiber that is lacking in the typical American diet and which slows the absorption of sugar. 2. Eating a whole fruit serving provides less sugar than a serving of fruit juice. In fact, orange or apple juices have more sugar and calories than the equivalent serving size of soda.
It is our deep concern that the offering of any fruit juice to children in schools and childcare centers teaches the wrong habits. Children who receive fruit juice at childcare centers will likely exceed the recommended limitations of 6 oz daily if they receive any additional fruit juice at home. We hope to eliminate the administration of all fruit juices, including whole fruit juice, in schools and licensed childcare facilities.
Children should receive whole fruit or vegetables and water, rather than juice.
I recommend we require that vending machines contain foods that promote weight maintenance, such as those higher in protein and fiber, and lower in sugars, flour, and fats. We have developed FoodGauge, a program to identify such foods. This tool is available on iphone and Blackberry for download. Some great snacks include high protein bars, edamame (soy beans), and beef jerky.
Early in high school, children should be educated to identify the early signs of weight gain. I advocate that once fully grown, young adults should “NEVER BUY BIGGER PANTS.” If the pants are tight, it’s time to exercise more and cut out some of the snacks and high calorie drinks. A campaign to NEVER BUY BIGGER PANTS will promote obesity prevention, since adults tend to gain weight as they age.
In Arizona and in other states, we have adopted obesity prevention toolkits that advocate the simple message: 5-2-1-0. Specifically, children should eat 5 fruits and vegetables daily, limit screen time to 2 hours daily, exercise at least 1 hour daily, and eliminate sugary beverages. This simple message can be easily communicated nationally.
Nick
Nick's Story
"I wish I would have come here first. We spend all our time reacting to the next great weight loss tip or program. It might work for a while, but does not last and we end up yo-yoing from one fad to the next – as we gain more weight." Read More
Gina
Lost 44.5 lbs
"I had no trouble adhering to the meals and they really helped catapult my progress! The classes were so beneficial to me because they helped change my thinking about how I viewed health, nutrition, and fitness.
I will always have my relationship with Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. They truly helped me change my life forever." Read More
Lauren
Lost 60 lbs
"Dr. Ziltzer and everyone who I have come in contact with at the Scottsdale Weight Loss office have been so encouraging and I look forward to seeing them each week. It is now a year and 2 months later since I started. I am down 60 lbs., which is the average amount a 9-year-old weighs, it is crazy to think I lost a whole person! I feel amazing, I hit my goal weight in November 2021 just before Thanksgiving. Nothing on my body hurts anymore..." Read More
Chuck
Lost 66 lbs
"The best thing I did was call the Scottsdale Weight Loss Center. I have a lot more energy, I'm not hungry, and it feels great.
You can take it from me that this is a program that produces results. The staff is always positive, supportive, and never judgmental.
Your visits always result in positive reinforcement, no matter if you had a good week or a bad week." Read More
Emily
Lost 101 lbs
"Here I am at the lowest I have been since high school weighing in at 155lbs. I have lost 101 lbs, BMI of 39 when I started, to 21.6, and of course at body fat % of 47.1 to 26.5%. I told myself by my 30th birthday I wanted to be confident in the way I look and I owe it all to SWLC. The entire staff is so welcoming and they are rooting for you just as much as you are rooting for yourself...." Read More
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Meet Our Team
Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP, FOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Diana Bone, FNP-C
Specializing in Obesity Medicine
Craig Primack, MD, FACP, FAAP, MFOMA
Obesity Medicine Certified Physician
Kristen Ash, FNP-C, FNP-BC
Nurse Practitioner
Alicia Earley, FNP-C
Family Nurse Practitioner
