One tween’s battle against obesity
One tween’s battle against obesity
Paris Woods is hardly a poster child for obesity. She's a blend of girlish chunkiness and womanly curves.
In street clothes. she blends in with her friends, a fresh-faced, robust-looking All-American girl.
However, like nearly one-third of American kids, Paris Woods is overweight. Her doctor worries her weight will creep up into the obesity range. One out of four African-American girls her age is obese.
Paris' pediatrician urged her to take part in an intensive experiment to see whether a year-long program of weekly sessions with a nutritionist, exercise trainer and doctor could keep the 14-year-old from becoming obese.
At 5 feet 4 inches and 158 pounds, Paris started the program about 20 pounds overweight. That was April 2008, just before her 15th birthday.
During the past year:
—Burger King introduced a 1,360-calorie triple Whopper sandwich
—Torrid, a nationwide chain of clothes for plus-size teen girls, opened its 156th store, up from six in 2001.
—First lady Michelle Obama made fighting childhood obesity her pet project.
Paris has a taste for fried chicken, bacon cheeseburgers and Snickers bars, and sometimes little willpower. Swimming helps her fight that. The sport has been a passion since she was a little girl.
Paris' two college-age sisters ballooned into obesity in their teens. The family's pediatrician, Dr. Cathy Joyce, says that often happens — teens put on weight, go off to college, and come back obese.
"Reality shows like 'The Biggest Loser' definitely have not helped," she said. They've skewed the public's perception of what overweight looks like, featuring people who are dangerously obese. The show's 2010 cast — including a 526-pound Chicago-area DJ — is its heaviest ever.
One of Paris' sisters had become a vegetarian, so the family decided to do the same. The hospital program doesn't require a specific diet, but recommends healthy grains, lots of fruits and vegetables, and avoiding unhealthy fats. Patients also are taught to read food labels and to eat three meals a day.
The idea is to choose a lifelong healthy way of eating.
Besides swimming most days, Paris likes to run with her two dogs, and tries to walk, instead of ride, when she can. Her parents walk a few miles several mornings before work. It's pretty easy to stick to the regimen during that first summer and fall.
By October, Paris' weight is down 8 pounds, to 150 and she's lost 3 inches from her waist. Her parents also have shed pounds, and all three say they have more energy.
Still hovering around 150 pounds, she hopes to weigh 140 by her 16th birthday, April 13. "If I reach that, I'll be pretty happy," she says.
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- Posted on February 3, 2010
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I think that it is good that she has decide to go on a diet because with her in high school kids do like to pick and say fat comments. I don’t think this is very nice I think is mean and rude and kids shouldn’t do it but you can’t do anything to make them stop them. You can try to ignore them sometimes it work but sometimes it doesn’t so I think it is a good thing for Paris to want to lose weight and not be obese.
aww OBESITY MUST BE HARD THING TO OVERCOME!!! I CAN IMAGINE THE STRUGGLE! i feel bad because once you get into middle school and high school weight & looks matter, and some others think different if they take it all serious and people keep making fun of them some people usually kill them selves and that's sad.always put your self in there shoes!would you like getting picked on ...Ya i don't think so. so take a stand for those that need you! make a difference.!
OBESITY MUST BE HARD THING TO OVERCOME!!! I CAN IMAGINE THE STRUGGLE I SRUGGLE WITH EATING ALOTT DAILY ITS LIKE I NEVER GET ENOUGH FOOD..BUT I DO! ITS LIKE I HAVE TO EAT ALL THE TIME!!! IT VERY HARD TO OVERCOME SOMETHING SOOOOO GOOD!!!
Most people don't really care about there weight. I know if I were to lose a lot of weight I would be happy. I would be proud of my self. And it isent easy to lose a lot of weight! wold you be happy if you lost that much weight.
''Shes a blend of girlish ,chunkiness,womanly curves''.If i reach that i'll be pretty happy happy ''says Paris woods .WWWWOOOOOWWWW! I would have a pretty hard life if i were her. Even if i loved food i would still be really careful on what i ate.but in also not so sure about this.
I am glad I don't have obesity. I am glad that I do sports. "The hospital program doesn't require a specific diet, but recommends healthy grains, lots of fruits and vegetables, and avoiding unhealthy fats."I think that dote means that we should eat right. "At 5 feet 4 inches and 158 pounds, Paris started the program about 20 pounds overweight. That was April 2008, just before her 15th birthday." This quote means this quote means that she wants to lose weight.
The article says she was " 20 pounds overweight." To me she doesn't look overweight. It says "the idea is to eat heathy". I think that is true. Many kids that are in shape eat right. I think that many kids that are obese don't eat right. Other than having a ham sandwhich, they are eating a burger from McDonald's. Every day you should be outside for at least an hour and a half, not including recesses. I also think that kids should only be allowed to wath T.V. and play video games on the weekend. If you follow these tips, you will be an in- shape person.
WOW! That sounds pretty bad but when she said that " I weigh 150 pounds and plan to weigh 140 by the time I'm 16." I think that means that she still has hope that she can be just the right weight. I think when she said "Reality TV shows like Biggest Loser has not helped" probably because it is only an adult show. I know one person who was like Paris, but she went to Biggest Loser. I am just glad that I am not obese. It is very good that she sets goals for herself because every time I set a goal I achieve it.
In this article I read that " Doctors have recommended to start reading food labels". That means that people might start eating better. I also read that " One out of every four African-American girls her age is obese".That means that about 25% of African-American girls are overweight. Now I want to exercise more. I am going to exercise right now. you should do the same.
I wouldn't like to obese. "A game like "The Biggest Loser" didn't work" I think that means that nothings working.I would hate if this happened to me. "I had to stop eating my favorite foods." I think that meant that she could only eat healthy.