The little weight problem at home could be referring to the children

While parents are pulling out gym clothes and starting weight loss programs for the New Year, many children and teens continue to pack on extra pounds.

Registered dietitians such as Sheri Etheredge are seeing alarming weight and nutritional problems in children and teens in Santa Maria.

"I'm seeing more youngsters with Type 2 diabetes, mostly because of obesity," said Etheredge, who works with diabetic patients at Marian Medical Center. Type 2 diabetes was formerly a disease seen mostly in adults, she said.

Connie Logan is a registered dietitian for Santa Barbara County's public health nutrition program who also sees private patients referred by family doctors to deal with weight problems.

"I'm seeing a lot of young teenagers upwards of 300 pounds," Logan said.

A study by the Gold Coast Collaborative revealed one-third of children tested in grades five, seven and nine were unfit and one-fourth were overweight.

The Central Coast's childhood obesity problem is part of a national trend. Teenagers in the United States have higher rates of obesity than those in 14 other industrialized countries, including France and Germany, according to a study of nearly 30,000 youngsters ages 13 and 15.

Among American 15-year-olds, 15 percent of girls and nearly 14 percent of boys were obese, and 31 percent of girls and 28 percent of boys were more modestly overweight.

The findings are based on school questionnaires given to youngsters in the 15 countries in 1997 and 1998.

Dietitians for Marian Medical Center and the Santa Barbara County Department of Public Health say several factors are adding to the expanding waistlines of children and teens.

Consumption of sugar-laced sodas are a prime target.

"A big gulp soda has 800 calories - that's a ton of empty calories," Logan said.

"If you drink a soda with a little over 100 calories, you might not think that's so bad. But that adds up to an extra 35 pounds per year," said Susan Klucker, a health educator for the Gold Coast Region Nutrition Network.

Dietitians have battled school district officials over the presence of soda vending machines on campuses. Last year, they reached an agreement with officials from the Santa Maria Joint Union School District to have vending machines on the campus of Santa Maria, Righetti and Delta High schools to have a "50-50" split between water and healthy beverages and sodas.

Dr. David Ikola, a Santa Maria pediatrician, said he agrees that soda consumption by children should be limited.

"When I see obese children in the office, the first step to dieting is to cut out the sodas," he said. "I would simply state what we all already know. Sodas are a non-nutrient, calorie-rich substance that serves no real purpose in our diet (and) offers no benefit."

Klucker noted that some seemingly healthy beverages in vending machines can still add to obesity problems.

"Fruitworks is in the fourth and fifth slots (of the vending machines) and it has 70 grams of sugar in one 20 ounce bottle. This is 14 teaspoons of sugar as five grams equals one teaspoon," Klucker said.

The international survey also found U.S. teens were more likely than those in other countries to eat fast food, snacks and sugary sodas and were more likely to be driven to school and other activities, contributing to a more sedentary lifestyle.

"Kids and teens like chips and crackers a lot, which are not good," said Etheredge.

A study published last week in the medical journal Pediatrics noted that nearly one-third of U.S. youngsters eat fast food on any given day.

"Parents need to be good role models. It's hard to do in this day and age, but it's better to sit down and eat at home," said Caro Stinson, a public health nutritionist for Santa Barbara County.

Another factor contributing to childhood and teen obesity is a lack of physical activity.

A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that Latino children were significantly less likely to participate in organized physical activity compared to white, non-Latino children. Children of parents with lower incomes and education levels also were less likely to participate in organized physical activity.

But health advocates are trying to get kids in the Santa Maria Valley moving more.

On Thursday, the gymnasium of the Boys and Girls Club of the Santa Maria Valley was filled with children chasing each other, trying to "catch a tail." The object of the game is to try to catch as many cloth straps from the back of other players as possible.

The game is part of a new program called "Sports, Play and Active Recreation for Kids," (SPARK). The activities are designed "to get kids moving and getting exercise, but for it to be non-competitive and enjoyable," said Klucker.

The staff at the Boys and Girls Club has undergone training to run SPARK programs.

"It's been great. The kids really benefit," said Bill Libbon, executive director for club. "It's getting kids who might not come into the gym, who might normally stay in the game or craft room, to get some exercise."

Kids at the club are learning that such activities are fun and good for them.

"I like it a lot. It gets your metabolism going, and it gets me in better shape to play basketball," said Isaac Armenta,12.

* The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jan. 11, 2004