After School Activity Reduces Excess Weight Gain In Adolescent Girls

And herein lie the problems, not the solution.

"The middle school years is the time when time kids spend begin to spend less time in physical activity, a growing concern as youth obesity rates rise. A new study of middle school girls shows that after-school programs, in addition to school physical education classes, may be one answer to reducing obesity in teens. The just-released results of the Trial of Activity for Adolescent Girls (TAAG) showed that moderate to vigorous after-school physical activity, in programs that can range from hip hop dancing to surfing, can modestly increase the amount of physical activity for young teenage girls, to the point that it could prevent excess weight gain of about two pounds per year. If sustained, that extra activity could prevent a girl from becoming overweight as a teenager or adult. Results are published in the article, "Promoting Physical Activity in Middle School Girls," in the March issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine."

The first problem is that for all the effort, cost and resources, only two pounds difference resulted.

This, of course. proves just how bad exercise is for weight loss.

Plus:

"This finding occurred after three years of the intervention, but not after two years."

Three years of effort to cut weight gain by 2 pounds.

Insane.

The next problem is the one absolutely fatal to any program similar to this.

Increased physical activity must lead to weight loss when more Calories are burned than consumed.

It is obvious that these kids are consuming too many Calories since they continue to gain weight though at a slower pace.

The problem is the toxic place called home where children go to get nutritionally abused by parents without concern for their kid's well-being.

This problem is undefeatable by the silly approaches such as the one studied.