Click Here To Purchase From Amazon New Prescription for Childhood Obesity

Today, Norm Goldman Publisher & Editor of Bookpleasures.com is honoured to have as our guest Dr. Billy C. Johnson, M.D., Ph.D author of New Prescription for Childhood Obesity. Dr. Johnson is a medical graduate from the University of Florida and he did his residency in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Maimonedes Medical Center. He holds a Ph.D in Molecular Biology/Microbiology and has practiced medicine in Virginia and Connecticut. In addition, he has written many articles for medical and scientific journals. He has appeared on NBC (Turnto 10), CBS, and ION Television Network, “For The Record” with Ann Karrick.

Good day Dr. Johnson and thanks for taking the time to participate in our interview.

Norm:

How did you become interested in child obesity as I noticed that you had specialized in obstetrics and gynaecology? Did you switch specialities?

 Dr. Johnson: It was purely accidental. It all started from the frustration of seeing too much pain and suffering many women go through during a normal process of pregnancy. Gaining too much weight puts a woman and her child at higher risk for prenatal complications like gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure, and difficult deliveries associated with birth injuries. 

But it was when my oldest brother suddenly died from a massive heart attack secondary to diabetes, and I soon found out that I had diabetes and high cholesterol---that got me to take action to investigate and research obesity related diseases. My first book on the topic was titled Prescription for Healthy Weight Loss & Optimum Health.   It was only natural to write another book to help parents fight childhood obesity. I took a sabbatical leave and I’m not actively practicing obstetrics and gynaecology at this point, but I make sure to keep up with my specialization. I hope to return to active practice this year.

Norm:

Why do you feel that New Prescription for Childhood Obesity was an important book for you to write? What motivated you to write New Prescription for Childhood Obesity?

Dr. Johnson: There are over 9 million children with childhood obesity in the United States whose parents are searching for long-term solutions to their weight problem. Childhood obesity is at epidemic proportions worldwide, affecting at least 155 million children. Parents are frustrated with traditional approaches focusing on “dieting,” which produce only short-term weight loss and fat reduction. I was motivated to write New Prescription for Childhood Obesity to help parents learn and teach their children specific simple strategies, techniques, and skills for eating not only high quality foods, but the right amount of food appropriate for their level of physical activity without dieting or restrictions.   The book also provides valuable information for parents concerned about the health of their children. Obesity increases a child’s risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, breathing problems, high cholesterol, asthma, and sleep apnea. Obesity also leads to heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancers later in life. Type 2 diabetes affects over 500, 000 children in the United States with the number increasing at an alarming rate coinciding with the growth in the measurements of inflammatory belly fat around children’s waistlines over the last 15 years.

Norm:

What makes your book different than others who have written on the same subject matter?

Dr. Johnson: Most books that I’m aware of on the subject of childhood obesity or even for adult obesity are focused on eating less and exercising more, but this does not work over the long haul because it’s unsustainable. This book provides parents with an easy long-term solution to the problem of childhood obesity using a newer approach to fighting childhood obesity by employing nature’s powerful super-antioxidants and phytonutrients to deactivate damaging free radicals triggering oxidative stress and inflammation---the root cause of obesity and chronic diseases.

Children also learn to connect food consumption to their level of physical activity on a meal-to-meal basis, so that they learn that a healthy lifestyle can automatically become a normal part of their daily routine. Along with proper stress management, children will have a better chance of reducing excess body fat and maintaining a healthy body that produces less oxidative stress and inflammation damaging healthy cells and their components (DNA, lipids, proteins, and cell membranes) ––– leading to less craving and overeating, increase in energy, growth of muscle tissue, and a faster metabolism that converts calories into cellular energy instead of toxic fat.

Norm:

Whom do you believe will benefit from your book and why?

Dr. Johnson: Parents with kids that are at risk of childhood obesity because of family history or those who are already obese or overweight. The book will also benefit parents by providing valuable information for those concerned about the health of their children. For example, as much as 500,000 children suffer from type 2 diabetes, which until recently, was diagnosed almost exclusively in adults over forty.

Norm:

Can you explain some of your research techniques, and how you found sources for your book?

Dr. Johnson: My research technique was based primarily on keeping meticulous data and observation, and with a lot of common sense. For instance, I will follow data on changes in body fat, muscle tissue and waist circumference in relationship to food consumption, physical activity, and stress level weekly. With this simple approach, I was able to understand why some things work and why others fail over the long-term. I also experimented on myself. As far as my source of research, I use the internet or books dealing with similar subjects.

Norm:

What challenges or obstacles did you encounter while writing your book? How did you overcome these challenges?

Dr. Johnson: My biggest obstacles in writing this book or my first book were to keep the language simple and understandable by readers who might not be too familiar with the scientific terms and theories. At the same time, I wanted to write a book that had credibility and meets the standard of professionalism. The challenges were partly overcome by having a competent editor who combed through the book and gave constructive critique.

Norm:

Why do children and even adults get hungry after eating a good evening meal? How do you deal with this?

Dr. Johnson: Because they probably ate highly refined carbohydrates or starchy vegetables like potatoes or white flour pasta that are high glycemic and spike blood sugar and insulin levels-----causing a rapid drop in blood sugar level triggering intense craving, hunger and sometimes headaches few hours after a full “heavy” meal.

The solution is to eat low glycemic foods that are slowly digested and do not spike blood sugar and insulin levels, such as whole grains, sweet potatoes, leafy green vegetables, brown rice, and whole grain pasta. It’s also important to have a meal that is balanced in carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy fats, and contain adequate fiber. The dinner should also be high in nutrients and antioxidants, but low in calories since the body’s metabolism is at a low point.

Norm:

Some people complain that in the morning their stomachs are flat and at night it is swollen or blown up? Could you tell us the reason for this and is this related to the low-grade silent inflammation you mention in your book?

Dr. Johnson: This is probably related to problems with indigestion associated with heavy bacterial colonization and insufficient proteolytic enzymes in the meals consumed. Benign bacteria and proteolytic enzymes help to break down toxic wastes products that can clog up the digestive track and produce inflammatory hormones and chemicals triggering oxidative stress and low-grade silent inflammation.

Norm:

Your book is addressed to parents who wish to combat child obesity. Could the principles and advice enunciated in your book be applicable to adults as well?

Dr. Johnson: Yes, the principles can be applied to adults as well. The only difference is the portion size of food consumed. The portion size for adults is larger than that suggested for kids as should be expected.

Norm:

I notice that you are the President and CEO of Ultimate Health Plus in Cranston, Rhode Island. What is Ultimate Health Plus?

Dr. Johnson: It’s a new company that I founded to enable me to conduct my research work independently. Besides working on obesity related health problems, I am actively developing healthy nutritional products like breakfast cereals, and snacks.

Norm:

Are you working on any books/projects that you would like to share with us? (We would love to hear all about them!)

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