Fitness program tries to break link between obesity, asthma

ASTHMA:

description risk symptoms treatment prevention Choose a link above to learn more about asthma. Source: WebMD

July 5, 1999
Web posted at: 11:52 a.m. EDT (1552 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A new program for overweight children who suffer from asthma is trying to help kids breathe a little easier.

Asthma is the leading chronic illness in children. Alone, the disease can be difficult. But coupled with obesity, the effects can be much more intense.

"Being overweight is like having a constrictive jacket strapped across your chest," said Dr. Joshua Needleman of the Montefiore Medical Center. "It squeezes your lungs, making them unable to function. It also pinches the breathing tubes, making it hard to breathe."

Obesity among children is on the rise. In the past 25 years, the number of overweight children has more than doubled, from 5 percent to 11 percent.

Asthma and obesity form a vicious cycle. For fear of triggering an attack, many asthmatic children live sedentary lives, predisposing them to obesity.

With the support of Pfizer pharmaceutical company, New York's Montefiore Medical Center has started the Eagle's Circle program for overweight asthmatic children ages 10 to 15.

"It's to emphasize fitness and wellness in their lives so that they can use it to learn how to control their asthma and use exercise to learn how to control their weight," said Nicole Hollingsworth of the Montefiore Medical Center.

She said there has been 100 percent attendance in the first three classes.

"One of our kids has even lost five pounds since the program started," she said.

For many of the children, nutrition can be a problem.

"If they say, 'I had fish,' its the fried fish sandwich-type thing," said nutritionist Jessica Krane. "So they actually don't really know the preparation makes so much difference."

While the program centers mostly on physical fitness, it also provides counseling and helps build self-esteem, something many of the children need.

Elaine Colon, 12, says sometimes kids can be cruel.

"Some people in my class, they tease me around and stuff," she says. "But now I feel stronger and I can ignore them, and I'm getting a little bit lighter and in shape so they don't have so much to talk about now."