Obese children join expensive weight-loss programmes

Overweight children as young as 7 are being enrolled in a slimming programme that costs hundreds of dollars.

SureSlim New Zealand charges $880 each for adults, teenagers and children for its weight-loss programme. Several children aged 11 to 13 weighed around 110kg when starting the programme and an 8-year-old weighed 64kg.

While SureSlim has only 59 people aged between 6 and 16 on its books - a tiny fraction of its 20,000 clients - and it does not advertise to this age group, a prominent endocrinologist and anti-obesity campaigner has questioned the appropriateness of children going on commercial weight-loss schemes.

"Personally I find the idea that people are using SureSlim for children is quite appalling," said Dr Robyn Toomath, of Fight the Obesity Epidemic.

" On the other hand it's an indication of the desperation children and some parents feel about obesity in children."

Managing children's obesity was complex, she said, urging parents to take them to a GP and possibly a dietitian.

Twenty-one per cent of New Zealand children are overweight and 10 per cent are obese - nearly a third of children. Starship children's hospital regularly sees patients of over 100kg and has seen a 12-year-old who weighed 198kg.

The adult obesity rate has doubled since 1977. Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

SureSlim managing director Geoff Adams said 6-to-16-year-olds were put on a less restrictive programme than adults, one that allowed for days off. It centred on encouraging them to eat healthy foods and three meals a day, without sugary snacks in between.

Children were not usually given a target weight and they could only join with parental support.

SureSlim provides individualised menus based on blood-test results, weekly encouragement sessions and advice on physical activity.

Mr Adams said the number of children joining increased after a magazine article on a girl who lost weight on the programme. She had been 20kg overweight, suffered teasing and had been suicidal. Children who joined had often been bullied at school.

Dr Toomath said the aim with children was to maintain their weight as they grew taller, especially through the growth spurt that started at puberty.

She said studies showed removing soft drinks and juice from children's diets was as effective as other weight-loss methods. This could be extended to crisps and fries.

Weight Watchers said it had a small number of teens on its programme. People had to be aged at least 10 to join.

Those under 16 had to be accompanied by an adult and have a doctor's permission.

"We're not experts on children. We leave that to physicians.

"We do provide guidelines for parents," said a spokeswoman, Karen Church.