Student Obesity Screenings Create Controversy
October 14, 2008 by Dr. Vicki Panaccione
Filed under Child Development

Overweight is defined as having a body-mass index higher than 95 percent of children the same age. At-risk is defined as having a body-mass index higher than 85%. Brevard’s Health Department has decided to begin screening students, to identify at-risk children.
While some schools send the (screening results) letters home with report cards or sealed in envelopes, others simply hand the students stapled... Read more ⇒
Number of Overweight American Kids Skyrockets
September 5, 2008 by Dr. Vicki Panaccione
Filed under Child Development

Just as adults do, overweight children face increasing health risks not only from obesity-associated diabetes but from heart disease and some cancers.
There also may be psychological problems associated with being overweight, said Vicki Panaccione, who has a doctorate in psychology and practices in Melbourne.
Although in her practice, children rarely are referred solely because they’re overweight,... Read more ⇒
Gaining a Poor Self-Image
September 3, 2008 by Dr. Vicki Panaccione
Filed under Teenagers/Tweens

Today’s busy parents need to be aware of whether their child is overly concerned about her body, and if so, get professional help.
Dr. Vicki Panaccione, a Melbourne child psychologist, said she sees a “good many” young people—mostly girls—who think they’re fat or that something is wrong with their bodies, although they don’t have diagnosable eating disorders.
“Generally... Read more ⇒