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NutriTeen
Program
Kate Simon
212-367-7575 ext 102
“According
to the Centers for Disease Control, the number of obese
children has more than doubled in the last 30 years, increasing
to 15 percent from 5 percent. This perplexing epidemic
poses serious and potentially devastating consequences
for obese children, both psychologically and physically…obese
adolescents suffer from low self-esteem, sadness, loneliness,
isolation, nervousness, and high-risk behaviors.”
With
estimates of over 80% of children/teens using email, “it
can be an extremely effective means of offering the behavioral
change techniques, nutrition education, skills and support
necessary for a child/teen to lose and maintain a healthy
weight," says Charles Stuart Platkin, founder of NutriTeen,
director of the Institute for Nutrition and Behavioral
Sciences, and author of Breaking the Pattern (Red Mill
Press, 2002).
NutriTeen,
created by the founders of Nutricise,
is a 12 week program that has NO hidden
costs, no food to buy, no drugs. The program has been in
development for over a year with experts in areas such
as adolescent psychology, nutrition, fitness and behavior
modification. All NutriTeen clients are assigned their
own personal counselor, a Registered Dietitian and Certified
Personal Fitness Trainer, who educates, coaches and supports
them using email. Throughout this email relationship, NutriTeen
counselors coach their clients on behavior modification
techniques necessary for making the lifestyle changes that
lead to weight loss and maintenance. "The NutriTeen
counselors understand that most adolescents require personal
attention and someone who responds to their unique and
individual needs -- not more generic advice out of a textbook."
Features
of the NutriTeen Program include: behavior modification
techniques catered specifically to the hectic and tumultuous
nature of adolescent life; nutrition education that takes
into account the fact that teens are often at the mercy
of the food court, the school cafeteria, social gatherings
and meals with parents and friends; physical activity coaching
that doesn't require a driver's license or a pass to the
local gym; ongoing support to help teens cope with the
emotional and psychological consequences of being overweight;
and straight talk about realistic expectations, body image,
health, and the unique challenges that teens face every
day.
NutriTeen
requires that a parent or guardian be placed on a separate
but integrated NutriTeen Parent Program, which includes
nutrition education and behavior modification techniques
that parallel what the child is learning. It also provides
the opportunity for parents to interact with their child's
counselor, who guides parents in creating a healthy living
environment for their children -- a critical element in
ensuring the long-term success of their child's efforts.
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