Apples for Health- Seven steps advised for obese children

Seven steps advised for obese children

CHICAGO, March 6 (UPI) -- A team of U.S. physicians and psychologists proposes a new model of care for treating childhood and teen obesity involving seven steps.

The Seven Steps to Success for overweight children and adolescents, described in Obesity Management, defines a stepwise intervention strategy of increasing intensity: medical management; education; environmental changes; support groups; cognitive-behavior therapy I: clinical or short-term immersion; cognitive-behavior therapy II: long-term immersion; and perhaps bariatric surgery.

"Essential to the success of this treatment model is the commitment and participation of family members, and especially parents, who should not only be strongly supportive of the child's efforts, but also take an active role in the nutritional, exercise, and lifestyle modifications being introduced," the experts said in a statement.

Although it may not be necessary for each individual to complete all of the steps to achieve successful weight loss, families should pursue the stepwise strategy aggressively until they succeed, Daniel Kirschenbaum of Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago said in a statement.