Patty Roth, a store manager in Sacramento, has raised three daughters who grew up eating most of their meals at home. Katie's weight gain has directly affected the amount of exercise she gets. It gets real old being last all the time. Katie is now participating in Teen Fit, a UC Davis Medical Center program, where she is learning about nutrition and exercise. I now walk home from school and do Tae Bo in my living room.
Children are among the most active segments in our population.
However, as they get older their activity drastically declines, often leading to an all-time low during the junior and senior years of high school. At the national level, regular physical activity drops from 73 percent in the ninth grade to 61 percent in the 12th grade, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control's Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Teenagers' idea of recreation has shifted with the innovations of technology. She is not getting enough exercise because she is not involved in after-school activities. Jaleesa, like Katie Roth, has taken steps to overcome her weight problems through Teen Fit.