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THINK LIGHT! Weight Management/Healthy Eating Program Targets Childhood Obesity With 'Family-Friendly' Approach

Posted on: Tuesday, 15 March 2005, 09:00 CST

DURANGO, Colo., March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the American Obesity Association and the Centers for Disease Control, over 15 percent of children and adolescents ages 6 to 19 are obese. Childhood obesity and its related health consequences, including early heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, have spiraled into a nationwide epidemic. Some scientists believe this may be the first generation in America in which parents outlive their children.

Greg Phillips, M.S., president of SOF Publishing and creator of the THINK LIGHT! Weight Management/Healthy Eating Program(R) (http://www.thinklight.com/), believes the solution to the problem starts at home. "Most experts agree that reducing the incidence of childhood obesity is dependent on families changing the way they eat," says Phillips. "Children's perceptions are influenced by the attitudes and habits of their parents and peers, and good parents lead by being good examples. That means that moms and dads have to deal with their own eating issues to have a positive impact on rest of family."

Developed by a team of registered dietitians, exercise physiologists and behavioral specialists, THINK LIGHT! offers a "family-friendly" approach for acquiring healthier eating habits. The proven program features a flexible 8-week eating plan complete with healthy menus, recipes and weekly grocery lists. Participants receive ongoing education, motivation and support from the company via email, a toll-free phone line and an online message board.

Since 1988, THINK LIGHT! has been offered in over 5,000 employee wellness programs, hospitals, health clubs and insurance companies. According to Phillips, the program has succeeded because of its simplicity and sensibility. "The bottom line with behavior change is if you don't enjoy it, you probably won't stick with it," says Phillips.

Phillips offers the following tips for helping families make the transition to healthier eating habits:

-- Nagging your family into healthy eating gets you nowhere.

-- Kids model themselves on what you do, not what you demand.

-- To change the family's eating habits, the entire family

needs to be involved.

-- Start off by making the easy changes that are almost invisible: Switch

from full-fat mayonnaise and dressings to reduced-fat or fat-free

varieties. Make sandwiches with whole wheat bread. Bake foods instead

of frying.

-- Learn how healthy foods like fruits and vegetables can be easily

transformed into kid-friendly, great-tasting meals and snacks like meat

loaf, smoothies and pizzas.

-- Get active as a family. Children who watch more than five hours of TV

per day are four-and-a-half times more likely to become overweight than

those who watch two hours or less. TV makes unhealthy eating more

attractive through advertisements promoting unhealthy foods. Get the

whole family out for after-dinner walks.

-- Always remember, when it comes to healthy eating, there's no such thing

as cheating. There's only wandering. Wandering is not wrong or bad.

It's a normal way to eat.

For information on THINK LIGHT! visit http://www.thinklight.com/

Contact Info: Greg Phillips, President

SOF Publishing

970-247-3610

gregp@sofcorp.com

This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information, visit http://www.ereleases.com/.

SOF Publishing

CONTACT: Greg Phillips, President of SOF Publishing, +1-970-247-3610, orgregp@sofcorp.com

Web site: http://www.thinklight.com/

Source: PRNewswire

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