New Prescription For Childhood Obesity
Billy C. Johnson, M.D., Ph.D.
iUniverse
ISBN: 9780595453436
Reviewed By Kenya Dow
Official Apex Reviews Rating: 
Media
outlets such as CNN and MSNBC often feature reports on the growing
epidemic of childhood obesity in America, and the reporters typically
blame the usual culprits: soda, candy, chips, fast food, etc. What they
fail to mention, though, is precisely what about such foods leads to
the abnormal weight gains that children usually experience.
In New Prescription For Childhood Obesity,
Billy Johnson picks up where the media often stops short, shedding
light on the much-needed link between the dietary habits of children
and their eventual health/weight concerns. The real cause of the
problem: low-grade silent inflammation. While that term may not be a
familiar one to the average layman, it is an absolutely essential
concept that must be both embraced and applied if society has any hope
of stemming the swelling tide of childhood obesity.
In essence,
low-grade silent inflammation is the normal immune response that our
bodies launch in order to combat the presence of free radicals,
molecules that attack our DNA, mutating it in such a way that it can
lead to non-functional protein, enzymes, and hormones. If the DNA goes
unrepaired, the damage done to it can lead to the development of such
diseases as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Our system’s
natural defense against free radicals? Antioxidants and phytonutrients,
chemical compounds that neutralize free radicals, preventing them from
causing damage to our DNA; thus, if our bodies maintain low levels of
antioxidants and phytonutrients, free radicals run rampant throughout
our system, leading to a prolonged immune response, or, low-grade
silent inflammation. Antioxidants and phytonutrients are naturally
found in fruits, vegetables, and other healthy foods, and, thus,
Johnson’s key point is that a diet lacking in these foods greatly
increases the likelihood of obesity and other health concerns in
children.
Johnson then proceeds, in meticulous fashion, to
proscribe effective solutions to approaching the problem of low-grade
silent inflammation, including recommendations for our diets, caloric
intake, physical activities, and even maintaining healthy teeth &
gums. He even includes Appendices featuring sample daily meal plans,
healthy recipes, and detailed resources for further helpful
information. It can truly be said that no individual who has the
fortune of reading this book will have any excuse to live unhealthily
ever again.
In his Introduction, Johnson cites that some experts
are predicting that this will be the first generation in America to
have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Such an alarming
prognostication is cause enough for everyone to take a serious look at
the health disparities among our children, and New Prescription For Childhood Obesity is the perfect starting point for just that. A highly recommended, informative, and enlightening read.
Official Apex Reviews Interview: Billy Johnson, M.D., Ph.D. (New Prescription For Childhood Obesity)
Apex Reviews: Thanks for joining us for this interview, Billy. We’re looking very much forward to learning more about your book and other efforts.
What inspired you to craft such a timely, informative, and eye-opening book addressing one of the most controversial issues of our time?
Billy Johnson: It’s a long story, but for short, it was the sudden death of my oldest brother from a massive heart attack secondary to diabetes, and shortly after that I was diagnosed with diabetes and high cholesterol. These circumstances got me to take action to investigate and research obesity related diseases. My first book on the topic was titled Prescription for Healthy Weight Loss & Optimum Health. It was only natural to write another book to help parents fight childhood obesity.
AR: Please share with our readers precisely what low-grade silent inflammation is.
BJ: Low-grade silent inflammation is cause of obesity and chronic diseases for both children and adults associated with extra abdominal fat, along with low levels of antioxidants and phytonutrients. It’s the body’s natural immune response to free radicals causing oxidative stress that are triggered by many factors such as unhealthy foods as well as environmental causes as exposure to pesticides, industrial pollutants, and toxins.
AR: Also, please share with us exactly how low-grade silent inflammation can lead to such diseases as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
BJ: When free radicals attack healthy cells and their components (DNA, proteins, lipids, cell membranes) they cause damaging oxidative stress, which unless promptly repaired will lead to a non-functioning protein, hormones, enzymes, or a mutated DNA. If the DNA is not repaired in a timely fashion, the damage done by free radicals and oxidative stress can lead to the development of such diseases as diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer.
Another example using LDL (bad) cholesterol illustrates how free radicals and oxidative stress cause disease. The LDL is not harmful to your body until it becomes oxidized and sticks to the walls of blood vessels. This triggers your body’s natural immune response that leads to the hardening of arteries, including plaque formation, which can lead to stroke and heart attack. The formation of arterial plaque can actually begin early in childhood and develop gradually without producing any immediate symptoms (low-grade silent inflammation). Plaques have been observed from autopsies of young people who died in accidents.
AR: Are certain fruits & vegetables recommended over others due to their respective levels of antioxidants & phytonutrients? If so, what are some of them?
BJ: Yes, certain fruits and vegetables contain more antioxidants and phytonutrients than others. The highest concentrations of antioxidants and phytonutrients are found in vegetables and fruits, such as cranberries, wolfberry, blueberries, strawberries, apples, pear, peaches, plums, yellow squash, bell peppers, tomatoes, beets, beans, green beans, spinach, broccoli, and green tea. Recently discovered by scientists and available under the brand name MonaVie is the Acai Berry fruit. The key ingredient in MonaVie is the Acai Berry that grows at the top of tall palm trees in the Amazon Rainforest of Brazil. The Acai Berry fruit has the highest antioxidant activity of any fruit or vegetable currently known on a gram-to-gram basis.
AR: Are you in favor of removing soda machines and snack dispensers from public schools?
BJ: Definitely, I’m in favor of removing these major sources of high fructose corn syrup and trans fats, which produce free radicals causing oxidative stress that leads to inflammation in our children’s bodies.
AR: What suggestions do you have for parents who want to get their kids to refrain from excessive Internet usage & video game playing and be more physically active?
BJ: I suggest a semi-structured lifestyle and assignment of chores and activities that keep children stimulated and less bored. Parents’ involvement in their kids’ activities are very important. When parents are involved in healthy lifestyle, such as more physical activity, kids get involved too. Remember that when kids are not more physically active, the alternative is a boring lifestyle that encourages unhealthy snacking and activities that increase inflammation such as internet usage & video games.
AR: Our reviewer noted that you cite certain experts who claim that this generation will be the first in America to have shorter life expectancies than their parents. Does this disturbing prospect actually have a likely chance of manifesting itself?
BJ: It’s very unfortunate that the chance of this happening is quite high. The trend in childhood obesity and associated diseases continue to rise dramatically in spite of a national effort. This of course correlates closely with the expanding waistline or abdominal fat within the last fifteen to twenty years. Approximately 500,000 children are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in the United States alone.
It’s predicted that one out of three American children born in the past 10 years will develop diabetes during their lifetime. Worldwide, the disease has reached an epidemic proportion. It is also not surprising that the increase in type 2 diabetes coincides with the growth and expansion of the fast food industry and the trend towards inactivity among children and adults. In addition to children developing type 2 diabetes, about one in three obese American children ages 12 to 19 or roughly 2 million children have a pre-diabetic condition known as syndrome X that puts them at risk for full-blown diabetes, heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure. The number of children with the condition is steadily rising—making this generation of children extremely vulnerable to premature death from complications due to diabetes and other serious diseases.
AR: You provide numerous healthy recipes and meal plans in the book. Have readers come back to thank you for helping them develop healthier lifestyles for themselves and their children?
BJ: Yes. So many families have benefited from my recommendations and program. My greatest satisfaction and reward are the positive response and appreciation I get back from parents. They appreciate that they learn and acquire the strategies and tools that would help them improve their kids’ health over a life time.
AR: How has your publishing experience been thus far with iUniverse?
BJ: Great. I like the fact that they provide their authors with adequate support and helpful information.
AR: What’s next for you?
BJ: I’m working on other book projects. I have completed a book specific for kids with obesity titled Childhood Obesity Control: Inspiring and Motivating Kids towards a Healthy Lifestyle. Also to be published soon, Diabetes and You: A Newer Guide for Better Control for Type 2 Diabetes; and Live Longer & Healthier: The Health Information That Puts You in Charge.I’m also working on a book of Poetry. I wrote poems as a kid and continued to write up to now. It’s a way of relaxing and focusing my thoughts like a narrow penetrating beam of light that floats in the endless emptiness of space.
AR: How can our readers learn more about your writings and other efforts?
BJ: Readers can find more about my book and me by going to http://www.ultimatehealthplus.com and http://www.authorsden.com/visit/author.asp?id=80073 .
Buy this book at http://www.amazon.com
AR: Any final thoughts you’d like to share?
BJ: It has been a wonderful privilege, and I’m very grateful for the effort and time you gave to this review.
AR: Thanks again, Billy, and best of continued success to you in all your endeavors!