Trim Kids: The Proven 12-Week Plan That Has Helped Thousands of Children Achieve a Healthier Weight » (First Harper Resource Edition)

Melinda S. Southern, Ph.D., M.Ed., C.E.P., is a licensed clinical exercise physiologist and a research faculty member and director of the Pediatric Obesity Clinical Research Section at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. She directs the Prevention of Childhood Obesity Laboratory at the LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge. She has published extensively in the field of pediatric obesity and is a member of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control's Expert Panel on Childhood Obesity.

In this world of fast food, television, and video games, more children are eating too much and are not active enough: 1 in 4 kids are unhealthily overweight. Now the experts who have helped thousands of children lead healthier lives have assembled the Trim Kids program.

Trim Kids is a unique 12-week plan providing a positive, safe initial approach to lifetime weight management. Each week, families practice proven ways to increase activity and exercises designed for their child's weight level; enjoy dozens of menu plans with nutritious, kid-tested recipes; and discover shopping lists and dining out tips—perfect for busy caregivers.

About the Authors:

Melinda S. Sothern, Ph.D., M.Ed., C.E.P., is a licensed clinical execise physiologist and research faculty member of Louisiana State University (LSU). She directs the Prevention of Childhood Obesity Laboratory at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, and the Department of Pediatrics at the LSU Health Sciences Center.

T. Kristian von Almen, Ph.D., is a noted research psychologist and assistant clinical professor in pediatrics at LSU Health Sciences Center.

Heidi Schumacher, R.D., L.D.N., C.D.E., is the Chief Clinical Dietitian at Children's Hospital in New Orleans, a certified diabetes educator and staff dietitian/nutritionist with the LSU Health Sciences Center Pediatric Weight Management Program.

Publishers Weekly

Sothern, an exercise physiologist, von Almen, a research psychologist, and dietician Schumacher team up in this comprehensive workbook to help parents guide their overweight children to better health. Today, 10 million kids that's one in four are overweight, the authors say, and the more overweight the child, the more at risk he is for adult obesity and type II diabetes; he's also more susceptible to low self-esteem and depression. Focusing on a three-pronged approach with nutrition, exercise and behavior modification techniques, the authors help parents assess their children's weight and choose one of four levels suited to the severity of their condition. The 12-week, 12-chapter process which begins with a trip to your child's pediatrician can be repeated as needed; as children progress, they simply graduate to a new level of the program. This kid-friendly method uses weekly goal-setting to prompt motivation and includes suggestions to get kids moving (get them to play tag or put a stationary bike in front of the TV). Snacks and meals clearly have been created with kids' taste buds in mind (i.e. frozen grapes or oven-baked chicken nuggets), though the entire family will enjoy many of the recipes. This practical guidebook will surely help parents get overweight kids on the right track to a healthy future, and its workbook format offers plenty of space for parents and kids to chart their successes. (Jan.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.