Losing weight is never easy for anyone, but it is especially difficult for kids who do not always have the nutrition and exercise knowledge needed to drop some pounds.
Kids who are overweight often suffer from low self-esteem and have a higher probability of getting bullied. Many times they come from families who also deal with weight issues which makes it that much harder for these children to lose weight.
Experts have found that one's weight can have a significant impact on the social, medical, and emotional health of people at any age. This impact can be especially difficult for kids.
Complications can arise, even at an early age, for children who are overweight. These complications can have a potential lifelong impact if issues surrounding the weight gain are not addressed.
With that in mind, there are now several weight loss and wellness camps that cater to teens and tweens looking to change their lives.
These aren't the "fat camps" of old though. They offer fun activities and focus on changing the child's lifestyle and not just their waistline.
Learn more here about three unique weight loss camps for kids:
Wellspring Camps
Unlike a traditional "fat camp", Wellspring is known for teaching campers the skills they need to create a healthy lifestyle for the rest of their lives. They do not simply cut calories and require extensive exercise. Rather they expose kids to enjoyable activities and give them a safe environment to control their calorie intake and increase their activity level.
Wellspring, which has camps in seven states and throughout the United Kingdom, helps campers lose an average of four pounds each week and over 30 pounds in eight weeks. Along with these dramatic results, campers also show improvements in mood, emotional health and overall outlook.
Camp Strong4Life
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is again offering Camp Strong4Life, a weight loss camp for kids aged 9-17, in Winder, Georgia this summer. While kids learn how to lose weight and increase their health and wellness knowledge, they will also spend their time zip-lining, swimming and having fun!
The camp has a fully-trained staff that will introduce campers to activities designed to inspire real lifestyle changes. They also require family involvement, which includes two weekend retreats, to make sure the entire family has the right tools to ensure weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.
Camp Shane
Camp Shane in New York has been featured on a variety of television shows including on 20/20, NBC's The Biggest Loser, the Dr. Phil Show, and even The Oprah Winfrey Show. It is medically supervised. It focuses on kids as young as seven as well as young women as old as 25, and every age in between.
The camp combine fun, great activities, a luxurious camp ground and nutritional guidance, and boasts significant results. Camp Shane treats their campers like any other camp but adds in the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and weight loss.
Camp Shane not only provides portion-controlled meals, but also teaches campers how to cook them at home during their on-site cooking school.
Sources:
Wellspringcamps.com. Web. 27 March 2013. "Effects of obesity."
http://www.wellspringcamps.com/effects_of_obesity
CHOA.org. Web. 27 March 2014. "Camp Strong4Life".
http://www.choa.org/Child-Wellness/Strong4Life-Programs/Help-for-Families/Camp-Strong4Life
CampShane.com. Web. 27 March 2013. "Weight loss nutrition".
http://www.campshane.com/weight-loss-nutrition.htm
Reviewed March 28, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith