"Offers much valuable advice on how parents and communities can address the problem." -- The New York Times A groundbreaking study: Includes a 7-step plan for raising healthy-weight children. In 2001, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a press release to the American public containing some disturbing statistics: 14 percent of teenagers and 13 percent of children were overweight or obese. This skyrocketing figure is associated with increases in high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, as well as higher obesity figures in the adult population. In response to the growing crisis affecting America's youth, Frances M. Berg, MS, LN, brings her lifetime of knowledge to bear on the problem of obesity in children and teens in the groundbreaking book Underage and Overweight: America's Childhood Obesity Epidemic. Studies and statistics prove that diets and exercise regimens don't work on children and teens; instead, they can lead to eating disorders, malnutrition, and increased weight gain in the long run. More than a diet and exercise plan, Underage and Overweight encourages families to promote a more active lifestyle and provide healthier food choices, rather then prescribing aerobics and limiting portions. A helpful and insightful guide to healthy living for the whole family, Underage and Overweight encourages provides solutions for parents who want to learn how to help their children lead healthier, more active lives.