Submitted by Dana Brandorff
Teller, 10, 2006
There is an epidemic attacking our children. It is childhood obesity.
For 14-year-old Teller Cunningham and his family, the condition is very real. Teller and his family have chosen to do something about it by participating in a local program called Shapedown, including participating in the Sept. 11 First American State Bank Fitness Festival.
The Festival is a bonanza of fun exercise, great food and a healthy lifestyle trendsetter.
Teller wasn’t always a big child. According to his mother, Annie Cunningham, “As a baby, he was in the 90th percentile for height and 20th percentile for weight. He didn’t start gaining weight until the first grade.”
Teller, 11, 2007
By age 10, Teller’s weight had become a concern for his parents. In third grade, he was 5-foot, 1-inch and weighed 147 pounds. The normal weight for a child his age and height is closer to 90 lbs.
“We were concerned. As a parent you want the best for your child. You want them to have a happy, healthy life. I didn’t want him to be teased,” Annie said.
But as Annie would discover, teasing would be the least of her worries.
“I was more concerned about the emotional side and ignorant about the effect his weight was having on his cholesterol, BMI and triglycerides,” Annie said.
Teller, 13 , 2009
When she did find out what Teller’s numbers were and meant, she was shocked.
“The numbers don’t lie,” Annie said. “It never occurred to me that at his age he could have high cholesterol and blood pressure and what that might mean for him as an adult.”
Teller’s cholesterol was 216 and blood pressure was 129/68.
Such scenarios are also of concern to Michael Schaffer, a pediatric cardiologist.
“It’s so sad to see – kids with clogged arteries, high blood pressure and cholesterol. My fear is that more and more children will present with diabetes and adult-type heart disease at age 11 – not because they’re born with it, but because of lifestyle choices – and as a consequence will not live a full life,” Schaffer said.
In the 35 years since Schaffer received his medical degree, he has seen a consistent increase in children with cardiac risk due to lack of exercise and poor diet.
“Fast food, lack of portion control and video games will shorten the lives of our kids,” Schaffer said.
Teller and his family: Teller, Annie, Gracie and Trent Cunningham Photos courtesy of Dana Brandorff
Like a lot of overweight children, Teller was on his way to being a young person with heart disease or Type 2 diabetes. But, the Cunningham’s recognized the seriousness of the issue and signed Teller up for a 10-week program at The Children’s Hospital titled Shapedown.
The program teaches the entire family about nutrition, the emotional side of eating and that exercise can be fun.
Marilyn Day who runs the Shapedown program, said, “The goal is to have kids be more mindful of their bodies and their eating rather than teaching them how to diet.”
Annie said the entire program was liberating because the onus was no longer on the parents, but the responsibility was placed squarely on their son.
And the required follow-up appointments over the years were instrumental in Teller’s progress and a key component to his success.
As Teller will tell you, his downfall was portion size.
“I would eat because I was bored and I would eat huge portions,” he said. “If it was in front of me, I’d eat it. I would finish everything on my plate.”
Teller would even come home from school and consume – what he calls – the equivalent of a fourth meal.
“I was on autopilot and didn’t have much energy,” he said.
With obesity rates skyrocketing in the U.S. to all time highs, Teller isn’t unusual. But his results from the Shapedown program are. Since enrolling in the program, Teller has made major progress. By the age of 13, Teller’s BMI had decreased 15.9 percent and his lean body mass had increased by 72 pounds.
Now, Teller is a freshman at Cherry Creek High School. At 6-foot-2 and still growing, he has learned many valuable lessons from the program, which have stayed with him for five years.
“Marilyn Day and the program changed my life,” he said. “Since I began I have lost my sweet tooth. I am very conscious of what I eat and choose healthier snacks. If I want a soda, I don’t deprive myself, but I select a diet soda over a regular one. And, as Mrs. Day says, ‘It’s not about dieting, it’s about making choices.’ ”
Choosing to eat less, foregoing seconds, getting up off the couch and participating in a sport rather than watching TV all can have an impact.
“Most of the risk factors that affect children can be controlled early in life, lowering the risk of heart disease later in life,” Schaffer said.
To reduce the risk of fatty buildup in arteries, your child should:
• Eat foods low in cholesterol and fat, such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grain breads and pastas
• Control portions. Substitute a salad plate for a dinner sized plate and limit seconds
• Do not use food as a reward for good behavior or good grades
• Limit snacking
• Substitute fruit for candy or pretzels for potato chips
• Eat meals as a family so it’s easier to know what and how much your child is eating
• Limit the amount of time your child spends watching TV and playing on the computer
• Get plenty of exercise and find fun exercise activities you can do as a family
A perfect example of an activity that helps families get out and be active in a less structured and fun environment while eating healthier is the upcoming First American State Bank Fitness Festival Sept. 11 in Greenwood Village. The morning includes the officially timed Kaiser Permanente 5K run/walk, a 1-mile fitness walk, aerobics warm-up, live music, children’s entertainment, a silent auction, a moment of remembrance in recognition of 9/11, and a special Color Guard presentation, participation by Lt. Scott Richardson from the South Metro Fire and Rescue Authority.
The Festival attracts thousands of area residents, students throughout the Cherry Creek School District, their parents and area businesses. This year’s Grand Marshal is former Denver Broncos wide receiver Ed McCaffrey. Schaffer and his wife, Lyn, are so impressed with the Festival’s mission that they are chairing this year’s event for a second year.
The Festival raises funds for the community asset project, a non-for-profit and partner of the Cherry Creek School District. CAP emphasizes building healthy skills/attributes in kids like exercise and nutrition, which in turn build responsible adults. During the past nine years, the Festival has raised and donated in excess of $600,000 to CAP.
Entry fees are $15 for children 17 and younger and seniors 60+ prior to Race day and $20 on Race day; $27 for adults prior to Race day, and $35 for those registering at the event. A special family 4-pack is available for $75, and includes registrations for two adults and two children. The family 4-pack is $100 on the day of the race.
All registrants will receive a 2010 FASB Fitness Festival T-shirt, as well as admittance into the post party featuring fantastic food (included in the ticket price), live entertainment, a silent auction and giveaways.
Should participants attend only the after party food sampling, the entry fee is $10 prior to the event and $15 at the door.
For more information about the First American State Bank Fitness Festival or to register, visit www.fasbfitnessfestival.com.
