The usual routes to getting overweight kids to slim down are exercise programs, behavior modification and sometimes medication. But there might be a new type of treatment to consider: reading.
A recent study found that after reading a certain book with underlying messages of getting healthy via physical activity and good nutrition, girls ages 9-13 showed a slight decrease in their body mass index.
“Lake Rescue” tackles issues such as cyber-bullying and divorce. In this book, an overweight girl goes to an outdoor adventure camp with her class.
Though worried about being picked on, she finds a role model who teaches her about becoming healthier through eating right and trying new activities.
The soft-sell message seems to get through, says Alexandra Russell, a student at the Duke University School of Medicine and lead author of the study presented at the Obesity Society’s annual meeting this week.
“What parents can take away from this,” she says, “is that children can change their behaviors and you don’t need to hit them over the head with instructing them about what foods are good and what foods are bad. It could be something as simple as storytelling that influences their choices for the better.”
