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View Full Version : Childhood Obesity - with Shaq on ABC



Jacqie
06-27-2007, 11:57 AM
I posted this in another section -
Last night I was flipping through the channels and saw the show with Shaq working with kids that are obese. It was a very eye opening show I think. One of the first hurdles Shaq came up against is these children are really obese and he called around and around to find a doctor that specializes in childhood obesity he finally found on, Dr Muinoz (I think that was how it was spelled). He is in the Miami area. He did an evaluation on each child and did a BMI test most of the children registared of the charts with the caliper so he used an MRI. One girl was at 50% body fat...I felt so sad for these children. They ranged in age from 11 to 14, 4 boys and 2 girls.
One thing Shaq did not realize is how these children are un motivated and easily knocked off course... He gave them a workout regime and expected them to do it on their own. These kids don't know how to workout and stay focused...He finally realized it and I think the next episode he has them with a trainer.
I cryed watching this show - I felt for these children when the doctor was talking to them and their family about they were either obese or morbidly obese. I remembered the hurt and shame I felt at 21 when a doctor said those words to me I felt horrible and one of the boys just cryed and cryed. I hope the show also works with their heads/feelings these children have been over weight for a very long time and there are reasons as to why they are maybe more then just big meals or laziness. One thing I noticed was that most of the mom's are overweight also. It's hard to change your eating habits if the rest of the family doesn't change.
I think back to my way of eating when I was at home and it was hard - my family eat big fat heavy meals - fried meat, lots of potatoes, bread and sweet desserts. My mother was always thin, so was my sister, my father was a big guy but was mostly muscle I was the fat one. So eating healthy meals was hard - and the more someone crabbed at me about my eating the more I ate behind closed doors. Also my family just got by money wise and I think that plays a part in meals - most of the children on the show looks like they come from middle to low class and when money is tight I think it is harder for family's to buy healthy foods we all know that fresh fruit and veggies are more expensive then the quick carb loaded foods. They did bring in a dietician and hopefully she will help the family's change their food habits. My DBF was watching the show with me and he said that we shouldn't watch it if It made me sad and I told him that it does make me sad because I hate watching and knowing what those children are going through but it also opens my eyes as to what I still need to deal with in myself. I also realize I need to help my own nephew who is heavy and at 11 is close to 180 pounds and it worries me and that I need to get him to focus with me and maybe go the route of I need his help to help me get moving physically and eating better. Sorry this is so long I jsut felt that maybe this show will open up some peoples eyes as to how hard and what a huge problem over weight problems are. One mom made a comment that did tick me off and it was he son said "How painful is surgery" and the mom said no surgery for you you have to do the hard way diet and exersice" well that comment just hit a nerve surgery isn't easy just the last option for alot of us!!!!!!

NotSoFunny
06-27-2007, 12:15 PM
I did not see it, but my new trainer was talking about us with the kids. It was interesting. My kids don't have any obesity issues, but he made a very solid point. You create fat cells during 3 stages in your life. this is when you set yourself up for a lifetime of fit or fat. The rest of your life you battle the fat cells that you have put on.

The first stage is the third trimester of pregancy. its when the first cells of fat are formed. the second time your fat cells are formed is around the first birthday. We hit a major growth spurt, and the fat cells are created when we move onto solid foods. The Third time, and most important, is from 3 to 14. this is the most crucial time for your child to be on a healthy diet and have an active life. If their diet is high in fat and junk they will create more fat cells than are needed and will spend their lives dealing with more fat than most people for the rest of their lives. the only way to get rid of this extra fat is by surgery later in life.

My kids are not on a diet, but they do eat mostly healthy food, and we severely limit the sugar and junk from their lives. Now I am really glad we did this.

lil'bitty
06-28-2007, 10:51 AM
Jacqie, i wanted to watch that!! Thanks for the low-down on the first show. I would have been crying too. I was just telling someone how at my house as a kid, we would get ready for bed and then have a "snack" which consisted for Ice Cream or chips or sometimes both!!!! Weight is an issue all around in my family and I refuse to let my girls go down that road. I ate well during both pregnancies, and neither girls had sweets until there first b-day cake and after that, very limited. It's hard now because my older daughter is in school and goes to friends houses, but I watch them like hawks and at every check-up discuss my concern with their doc. My youngest was a little pudgy, mostly still baby fat as she is just 3 and I got her moving more and she is in gymnastics and with every meal she gets fruits and/or veg. My oldest is slim but just recently started asking for seconds and is ALWAYS wanting to eat. I hope she is someone who can eat anything and always be slim, but I am not taking chances, I am watching her!!

I will look forward to seeing that show. If I ever came into some money I think I would become an advocate for childhood obesity and start a camp, or clinic, or something. I know they are out there, but it saddens my with the level of childhood obesity, that Shaq had to search for a specialist!

Alicia521
06-28-2007, 11:49 AM
I hate that I missed this show. It is so sad to see children at such a young age and so unhealthy. We try pretty hard to make sure Harrison stays away from junk. He usually eats fruit and oatmeal for breakfast and lunch truly varies from day to day. Dinner is whatever we have, so that usually means a meat and vegetable. He just turned 2 in May and is already starting to lose that chubby baby look. His belly is still kind of round but his little legs, thighs and face have really slimmed down. He is incredibly active. He has a hearty appetite but he doesn’t snack much at all. He has always been a big eater – even when he ate baby food. I pray that his metabolism will keep us with his hunger but the great thing is that if he isn’t hungry he doesn’t eat, which is usually the case at dinner. He probably eats something sweet once every 1-2 weeks and it is pretty limited in portion. I know that when I was growing up that was not the case. If I wanted cookies, ice cream or coke, I just went and got it. It wasn’t a special treat.

On a similar note, I wish more people would be turned on to growing their own vegetable gardens. I know not everyone has the yard to do it in, but it doesn’t require a ton of space. One or two plants yield quite a bit of food. We are blessed and live on my dad’s farm so we have a huge garden together. This year we are growing tomatoes, squash, peas, cucumbers, black beans, green beans, spinach, corn, okra, peppers, onions and potatoes. Last year I canned green beans and pears and froze squash, corn, zucchini and blueberries. It is super cheap to have vegetables this way. The pack of seeds is pretty inexpensive and if you grow them organically you don’t have the expensive or harm of pesticides. I can honestly say it has cut down on our food bill by quite a bit. Plus it is a great feeling to walk into our basement and have a freezer full of fresh home grown organic fruits and veggies and a shelf full of canned fruits and veggies.

NotSoFunny
06-28-2007, 12:01 PM
We are going to do some patio gardens, but on a slightly larger scale. The raised deck will help to make sure the rabbits and other animals we have around here do not get to them too bad, and rob is going to build large planters at different levels. the kids will be the ones to plant the veggies. I agree that it is so smart. We got lucky. Our kids LOVE fruits and veggies. and they hate butter and sauces. (not sure what alient planted his seed with me cause that is so not like rob or i) now if i could just get them to not be so in love with mcdonalds we would be in good shape! LOL

Alicia521
06-28-2007, 12:36 PM
now if i could just get them to not be so in love with mcdonalds we would be in good shape! LOL

I hear ya! We very seldom eat out but if we do Harrison begs for chicken fingers from Wendy's. He does eat yogurt and drink milk with it...I guess it could be worse!

lil'bitty
06-28-2007, 01:44 PM
I hear ya! We very seldom eat out but if we do Harrison begs for chicken fingers from Wendy's. He does eat yogurt and drink milk with it...I guess it could be worse!

Right with you both on that, and I love Big Macs.............but Mickey D's is a treat in our book, and I order 1 happy meal with fries and one with apples that way they can each have a little fries and both like apples. We always get juice boxes, no soda. We rarely have soda in the house and since my band, I haven't bought any. My girls doc was thrilled to hear they were drinking water and Crystal Light.

Will
06-28-2007, 01:51 PM
Twas a good show. Shaq is attractive!!! Or maybe it's cause he's super tall. That always gets me. My hubby was like, OK I GET IT. lol. I don't usually dig the athlete types, but wow. Annnnnywho, it was a great show. I see myself in the little girl Kit. I worry about Walter. I can't wait to see the next one!!

JDru
06-28-2007, 01:52 PM
Does anyone know when the next one will be on?

Alicia521
06-28-2007, 02:25 PM
I'm not sure, but I want to tivo it!

NotSoFunny
06-28-2007, 03:19 PM
Right with you both on that, and I love Big Macs.............but Mickey D's is a treat in our book, and I order 1 happy meal with fries and one with apples that way they can each have a little fries and both like apples. We always get juice boxes, no soda. We rarely have soda in the house and since my band, I haven't bought any. My girls doc was thrilled to hear they were drinking water and Crystal Light.

My son surprises us at dinner often times. He LOVES mac and cheese, and if any restaurant has it that is what he will order. But he is very balanced all on his own. He drinks water over other drinks mostly, except for milk sometimes. So he will ask the waitress for water, which takes them aback. Then he always wants a salad with lots of tomatoes. And he LOVES broccoli with his mac and cheese. He will ask for it. If they do not have it he will ask for some other veggie.

We had one woman bring him his broccoli with cheese all over it once. He pitched a fit. I told him he needed to politely ask her to bring him another. So she came over. and he handed her the plate and said "I need new broccoli. Don't ruin it with the cheese this time. Please and thank you." she just died laughing. Said it was the most respectful demand she had ever received. LOL

emily has started liking some sauces, but andy HATES sauces and butter. Pancakes, toast, mashed potatoes, corn....put butter on it and he will get upset. He doesn't like dressing on his salads. Likes em nekkie. Emily likes ranch dressing, but only on her baked chicken to dip it in, and we use the low cal stuff. They like cheese, but just by itself in slices, so that is more of a treat.

They get their fair share of sugary fun, but not that often. We still have candy in thehouse from 2 halloweens ago! lol but when they get something like a bag of m&m's they usually share it, and actually put half the bag away to save for later!!! :faint: Who does that???

lil'bitty
06-28-2007, 08:38 PM
Funny, my girls had broccoli tonight with dinner! They love broccoli and cauliflower and ready, both love mushrooms! My Emily won't eat anything with sauces, etc, but she loves just lettuce with Ranch.

I just through candy away from Easter a few days ago, and I just dumped old cookies out of the cookie jar. Don't get me wrong, they love sweets and they do share M&M's, but only at my request and I can assure you that the 2 of mine, finish the bag!! LOL

Cmarie
06-29-2007, 11:26 PM
Does anyone know when the next one will be on?


If you want to see the first episode you can watch it at-

www.abc.com (http://www.abc.com)
click on "full episode" on the right side of page
click on "launch the player"
scroll through different shows until you find Shaq's Big Challenge and click on it then it will let you pick the episode you want to watch.

JDru
06-30-2007, 11:30 AM
Thanks Cmarie! I'll check it out.