Weight Watchers pilots study for childhood obesity
A new pilot study, pioneered by Weight Watchers, will look at ways to reduce excess eating in children. Presented at the Experimental Biology Annual Meeting in California this week, the study presents a variety of strategies for parents to reduce excess weight among children.
The pilot programme featured an eight to ten-week course where parents of at least one overweight child could attend for an hourly session each week. The sessions were led by a trained Weight Watchers’ coach, and focused on teaching parents weight-friendly eating habits for the whole family.
Parents of over 100 overweight children, aged 7 -12, were involved in the trial scheme. After each weekly session, parents conducted in-home baseline measurements to record the child’s progress. Rather than focus on diet-specific eating, Weight Watchers’ coaches taught parents how to maintain a balanced diet for their child.
Statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that 17 per cent of youth are overweight to the point of obesity. Obesity can lead to serious health related risks, including high blood pressure, the earlier onset of heart attacks, and other side-effects.
Prior research had indicated that children largely draw on eating habits from their parents. Karen Miller-Kovach, the chief scientific officer at Weight Watchers International, said that it was key to begin to stem the rise in childhood obesity, and that it could be accomplished by educating entire families on healthy eating habits which, for children, will last a lifetime.
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