One tween’s battle against obesity Paris Woods is hardly a poster child for obesity. She's a blend of girlish chunkiness and womanly curves.

In street clothes. she blends in with her friends, a fresh-faced, robust-looking All-American girl.

However, like nearly one-third of American kids, Paris Woods is overweight. Her doctor worries her weight will creep up into the obesity range. One out of four African-American girls her age is obese.

Paris' pediatrician urged her to take part in an intensive experiment to see whether a year-long program of weekly sessions with a nutritionist, exercise trainer and doctor could keep the 14-year-old from becoming obese.

At 5 feet 4 inches and 158 pounds, Paris started the program about 20 pounds overweight. That was April 2008, just before her 15th birthday.

During the past year:

—Burger King introduced a 1,360-calorie triple Whopper sandwich

—Torrid, a nationwide chain of clothes for plus-size teen girls, opened its 156th store, up from six in 2001.

—First lady Michelle Obama made fighting childhood obesity her pet project.

Paris has a taste for fried chicken, bacon cheeseburgers and Snickers bars, and sometimes little willpower. Swimming helps her fight that. The sport has been a passion since she was a little girl.

Paris' two college-age sisters ballooned into obesity in their teens. The family's pediatrician, Dr. Cathy Joyce, says that often happens — teens put on weight, go off to college, and come back obese.

"Reality shows like 'The Biggest Loser' definitely have not helped," she said. They've skewed the public's perception of what overweight looks like, featuring people who are dangerously obese. The show's 2010 cast — including a 526-pound Chicago-area DJ — is its heaviest ever.

One of Paris' sisters had become a vegetarian, so the family decided to do the same. The hospital program doesn't require a specific diet, but recommends healthy grains, lots of fruits and vegetables, and avoiding unhealthy fats. Patients also are taught to read food labels and to eat three meals a day.

The idea is to choose a lifelong healthy way of eating.

Besides swimming most days, Paris likes to run with her two dogs, and tries to walk, instead of ride, when she can. Her parents walk a few miles several mornings before work. It's pretty easy to stick to the regimen during that first summer and fall.

By October, Paris' weight is down 8 pounds, to 150 and she's lost 3 inches from her waist. Her parents also have shed pounds, and all three say they have more energy.

Still hovering around 150 pounds, she hopes to weigh 140 by her 16th birthday, April 13. "If I reach that, I'll be pretty happy," she says.

- Posted on February 3, 2010