To help reduce the number of overweight and obese children, the U.S. Surgeon General encourages Spot the Block, a campaign aimed at getting children ages 9 to 13 to read food labels to establish lifelong healthy eating habits.  TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) supports these efforts by helping families (parents and children) learn how to eat a healthy balance of foods and incorporate regular exercise into their lives.

It certainly worked for Jenna Clancy, now a high school freshman in Riverside, Rhode Island.  When Clancy first joined TOPS in 2006, she weighed 176 pounds.  By regularly attending weekly chapter meetings, making healthy food choices and exercising consistently, Clancy lost over 45 pounds.  She said helping with her autistic brother’s care was one of her primary motivations.  “My main goal is to be physically fit and to always help with my brother’s care,” Clancy said.  She was recognized at TOPS’ annual convention in 2007 for her weight-loss success.

It also worked for Jordan Howard, a nine-year-old from Wellston, Ohio.  A sports fanatic who was having trouble running because of his weight and asthma, Howard joined a local TOPS chapter and learned the importance of drinking water instead of sugary drinks and that eating fresh fruit was better than junk food.  He went from 113 pounds to 94 pounds and was also recognized at the TOPS annual convention.  “Now I can run faster without getting out of breath,” Howard said.  “I don’t have to use my inhaler and I know I will continue to stay healthy with support from my TOPS chapter.”

To find a local chapter, visit www.tops.org or call TOPS Headquarters at 800-932-8677.

TOPS Club, Inc. (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) is a powerful, nonprofit, noncommercial weight-loss support and wellness education organization with thousands of associate chapters in the United States and Canada. Members (about 180,000 worldwide), learn about nutrition, portion control, food planning, exercise, and more, in weekly meetings.  Weigh-ins, group feedback, and support help members achieve their goals.  TOPS is the original weight-loss organization and its International Headquarters is located in Milwaukee, WI.