SHAPEDOWN

SHAPEDOWN was developed by faculty members of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine and includes contributions from nutrition, exercise physiology, endocrinology, psychology, family therapy, adolescent medicine, family medicine, and behavioral and developmental pediatrics. SHAPEDOWN is continually reviewed and revised to ensure that it reflects current scientific and clinical understandings.

For children and teens - SHAPEDOWN will jumpstart your self-esteem! This program puts you in charge of your health and happiness. You will learn to create an active, full life so that food and television are less important. You will have opportunities to talk about your feelings and needs. You will learn strategies to stop kids from teasing. Which will allow you to feel better about your body and about yourself. SHAPEDOWN brings out the best in you!

For Parents - SHAPEDOWN will help you feel better about your parenting and about your child. You will let go of guilt, fear, and frustration about your child's weight as you put into practice positive changes in your family's lifestyle and communication. In many cases, changes from SHAPEDOWN are profound. Parents are amazed at their child's happiness and vitality and at the richness of their family life.

Is SHAPEDOWN right for me?

It depends on some variables. That is why care begins with a biopsychosocial assessment by your SHAPEDOWN Program Coordinator (older children and adolescents can receive a full computerized Y.E.S. assessment). Through the program you will learn all of the areas where you are already healthy and areas of focus where you can obtain better results pertaining to your weight. The right care for you may involve SHAPEDOWN, in a group or individually, and/or other kinds of treatment.

Should all kids be thin?

No. Children come in all sizes and shapes that are perfectly normal. The goal in SHAPEDOWN is for a child or teen to gradually attain their genetic body build, which ranges from willowy to rounded.

What if the weight is just genetic?

The goals of those with simple genetic obesity are to accept their genetic body build, to develop healthful habits and to avoid the dieting psychology. Each of these goals is addressed in the SHAPEDOWN program.

Is SHAPEDOWN safe?

Weight loss for children and teens can be hazardous. Rapid weight loss or strict diets can affect growth and development, promote binge eating, slow metabolism, and result in weight gain. SHAPEDOWN is safe. The program encourages a gradual, safe weight loss or the maintenance of weight as the child grows.

Is SHAPEDOWN effective?

Yes. Controlled studies have shown that when families participate in SHAPEDOWN, there is significant improvement in weight, self-esteem, depression, diet and exercise habits, and weight management knowledge. However, progress varies depending on how open to change the child and family are.

How long does it take?

SHAPEDOWN may be in a group format or an individual program. Group programs include an intensive, 10-week schedule with meetings of about 2 hours weekly to give families basic SHAPEDOWN training. Families can then continue care through ADVANCED SHAPEDOWN, a nurturing support program that deepens and extends their progress. ADVANCED SHAPEDOWN meets weekly or biweekly for 20 weeks or more. Children love the SHAPEDOWN groups because it is a chance to be with other kids. Parents receive support from other parents and delight in their child's progress.

How does SHAPEDOWN work?

SHAPEDOWN builds on the strength of the family. It gently and effectively supports families by creating an active and healthy lifestyle while not depriving diet. Parents tune up their nurturing skills to curb their child's emotional overeating and sharpen their limit setting skills to prompt their child toward a healthier lifestyle. The child accepts more responsibility for diet and activity. Food becomes less important, activity more exciting and the child's weight begins to normalize.

What other therapies are involved?

SHAPEDOWN not only helps families target changes in nutrition and activity, but focuses on common underlying factors that fuel a child's excessive appetite for food and inactive pursuits. Although exercise physiology, nutrition, and behavioral techniques are used, the power in SHAPEDOWN comes from its sensitive, entertaining, and practical use of family therapy and psychoeducational techniques.

Is there a diet?

No. Diets typically cause children to feel deprived and, as a consequence, to overeat. Instead, SHAPEDOWN supports gradually adopting moderate food intake that provides essential nutrients based on Recommended Dietary Allowances and the National Cholesterol Education Program Guidelines.

What about exercise?

SHAPEDOWN stresses overall fitness, including endurance, flexibility and strength. Children and parents develop a more active lifestyle and replace television viewing and other inactive pursuits with chores, interests, sports, and projects.

What else is addressed?

A wide range of strategies help the child and parent take care of their emotional and physical health. For example, children learn techniques that effectively stop peer teasing. Parents free themselves from the weightism of our society. Families learn communication techniques to resolve conflicts.

Is SHAPEDOWN appropriate for us?

SHAPEDOWN caters to diversity. There are four developmental levels of SHAPEDOWN, each sensitive to the educational, social and emotional stages of the child. Ethnic, cultural and economic differences are reflected in the program as are a range of family types, such as single parents and blended families.

Does SHAPEDOWN treat parents too?

In SHAPEDOWN, the whole family changes so parents often see weight loss and improvement in their own diet, activities, blood pressure and serum cholesterol. However, overweight parents need a comprehensive assessment from their own health care provider to determine the best form of care for them.

What parent should attend?

If both parents reside in the area, both parents should attend. Also, step-parents, aunts, friends, or anyone who takes a parenting role, is encouraged to participate. If one parent is more removed from a child, their presence may be even more important. Questions about your particular situation should be discussed with your SHAPEDOWN Program Coordinator.

What if parents don't to want eat healthy and exercise?

Then SHAPEDOWN is not right for the child. The SHAPEDOWN philosophy is that parents should not ask of their child anything they are not willing to do themselves. However, the SHAPEDOWN lifestyle changes are gentle and flexible and fit into the priorities and capabilities of most parents.

Research has shown repeatedly that without family approach, all treatments - diet, exercise, behavioral modification - are ineffective. It is only by building on the strength of the family that child obesity programs have their long lasting, beneficial effects on weight.

Facts About Child And Adolescent Obesity

Twenty-seven percent of children and 21 percent of teens are obese, an increase of 54 percent in the last 20 years.

The causes for young people being overweight are diverse. It is extremely important for an individual to have an assessment to develop their own individualized care plan.

Fifty to 70 percent of the obese young will be an obese adult. Severe obesity and the young person's age increases the risk of obesity in adulthood.

The medical consequences of obesity vary. However, obese children and teens have an increased prevalence of hypertension, respiratory problems, hyperlipidemia, bone and joint difficulties, hyperinsulinemia, and irregular periods.

The psychosocial disadvantages of overweight in the young include peer teasing, scholastic discrimination, low self-esteem, and negative body image.

Weight difficulties in children and adolescents are highly treatable when a family-based approach is used. Studies have shown that if the treatment includes parents and focuses on the family's lifestyle and communication - weight loss is maintained, on an average, even at a five and ten-year follow-up.

For more information about SHAPEDOWN, please contact Paula Needles, SHAPEDOWN Program Director, 307-742-2142, ext. 6658 or e-mail her at paulan@ivinsonhospital.org