Childhood Obesity - A good Dr.

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STACY POSTING CAUSE MOP DOESNT KNOW HOW TO LOG OUT OF NT ON MY PC!!!!!!!!!! Pffffft........

We need more Dr's like this one!

Doctor to combat childhood obesity

BY KEN MARTEN
kmarten@mn.homecomm.net


Studies show childhood obesity is on the rise, but Dr. Paul Ehrmann has a plan to keep it down. Founder of the Family Health Care Center in Royal Oak, Ehrmann has developed the Children's Health Initiative Program, or CHIP, a five-week class to teach parents and children how to make healthy lifestyle changes.

Offered free to 30 volunteer participants, the pilot program will debut at Oakland Elementary in Royal Oak on February 23. "Childhood obesity has increased sharply even just since the early 1980s," Ehrmann said. "It's a very disturbing trend, almost totally preventable and I'm really concerned about both the present and future effects on children's health. If the trend goes unchecked, our children could face heartbreaking consequences in coming generations."

Ehrmann said diet and exercise must go hand-in-hand. Rather than focusing on traditional dieting, the program will instead encourage healthy-living habits based on family awareness, involvement and the daily practice of nutrition and exercise.

The pilot program is geared for third- to fifth-grade students and their parents. The student_parent teams will meet one evening for five consecutive weeks to learn to make healthy choices with the help of doctors, registered dietitians, a personal trainer, a psychologist and a professional chef.

The plan is to also teach the parents how to teach their kids. Ehrmann's program is one of the first of its kind in the state and already has earned the endorsement of Michigan's Surgeon General. Royal Oak Neighborhood Schools are helping to host the pilot, which later may become permanent within the district and a blueprint for other communities and school districts.

Local businesses and service groups as well as the Royal Oak Foundation are helping. One week the group will visit Hollywood Market and Holiday Market, led by the physicians and registered dietitians, to learn about planning and choosing foods for healthy menus. Another week, participants will watch a low-fat, kid-friendly cooking demonstration. Simple exercises and activities will be a part of each session, and Ehrmann has set up a digital library for homework.

Lily's Seafood Grill & Brewery is sponsoring the program by providing fun and healthy foods for two sessions. Four area businesses - Stagecrafters, the YWCA, Rocket Printing and The Creative Arts Studios - are supplying motivational prizes.

A life-long proponent of healthy living, former Detroit Lion linebacker Scott Kowalkowski will open the first session with motivational advice on maintaining fitness and a healthy lifestyle and plans to involve the kids in jumping rope with him.

Ehrmann will record the procedures and results with the goal of offering the program to other communities.

More information can be found on Ehrmann's website, http://www.docpaul.com.