Fed Up: Winning the War Against Childhood Obesity Book

A new global epidemic is unfolding.

In only thirty years, rates of obesity around the world have skyrocketed. We read about it in the headlines and witness it in our neighborhoods. Overweight children are numerous and conspicuous. The world?and the U.S. in particular?is in crisis. Most scientists are convinced that this dangerous trend has been propelled by a lethal combination of modern living and human genetic vulnerability.

Children are proving to be the most vulnerable class of victims.

Once dismissed by the medical profession as a purely cosmetic problem, obesity represents an ominous health threat for our children. Obesity is now second only to smoking as a wholly preventable cause of death. Without early intervention, overweight children often become overweight adults?and we know that at any age, obesity can lead to heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and depression, conditions that account for more than 300,000 deaths each year. In fact, today's kids may be the first generation of children to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents.

Knowledge is power?and it's time to fight back.

About 20% of all children are considered to be overweight?worldwide there are 22 million kids under five years old who are considered to be "fat." Eating too much unhealthy food coupled with getting too little physical activity accounts for a lot of what's making our children heavier. But that's not the whole story. New research is revealing startling evidence that isolates a number of factors that are involved in this dramatic increase in obesity rates.

Science you can trust?advice you can use.

It's time for all parents, teachers, public health officials, physicians, and community leaders to join forces and arm themselves with the best, most up-to-date information available to win the war against childhood obesity. FED UP! is just what the doctor ordered. Based in part on the prestigious Institute of Medicine's ground-breaking report on childhood obesity, this new book from family practice physician and former Washington Post journalist Susan Okie provides in-depth background on the issue. An artful combination of compelling case studies and clearly articulated science powerfully illustrates how serious and widespread the problem is. Only by understanding the factors that contribute to childhood obesity, can we fully appreciate the consequences of this epidemic?and take necessary steps toward positive change. Okie's honest, authoritative, science-based advice constitutes our best weapon in this critical battle for the health and well-being of our children.