(Title) A Plan to Beat Childhood Obesity (Subtitle) The Bases are Loaded This Book is the first documented weight loss program for children. The book chronicles the program through the narrative of David and Joseph Cassler, a father and son team. At the age of eleven, Joe weighed 143 lbs, 45% of that weight was fat. Using the principles outlined in the book, Joe lost 40 lbs, or 28% body weight, in one years time. The plan is a safe, slow way for children and parents to lose weight together. The plan advocates parental participation, family fun and positive changes in lifestyle. The book uses the game of baseball, Joe's favorite sport, to show analogies and draw comparisons to the challenges childhood obesity presents. After the initial effort, maintaining healthy weight becomes innate. When the program is finished, the principles learned become a way of life, and the weight stays off. While thousands of "fad" diets and programs exist, the plan breaks new ground. Everything follows a slow, safe and fun model for the burning of excess fat. The book is divided into two parts. The first part of the book contains the theory behind the program. Visual models are used to help the reader understand the principles being taught. Before and after pictures document the weight loss Joe achieved in the course of the year. While the book advocates the belief that "genetics" is not the primary factor causing obesity, the Bases Loaded theory agrees with scientific evidence that there is a "genetic condition" that plays a crucial role in the incidence of childhood obesity. In terms of "genetic programming" human beings are "hardwired" like the earliest of human-like creatures. We commonly refer to these creatures as cavemen and their descendants as hunter/gatherers. In other words, the metabolism of a human being is hardwired for survival. The book illuminates eight principles that govern a person's metabolism. The book goes on to show how understanding these principle becomes crucial in maintaining healthy weight. Some of the chapters comprising the first half of the book include; Metabolism Models, The Bases Loaded Master Plan and Joe's Results. The second half of the book explains the working model of the program. Some of the chapters in the second half of the book include; Food, Principles of Nutrition, Going Shopping, Supplements, Fasting, Having Fun, Workouts, Rest and Regeneration. According to Keith Clayton M.D., in the "Foreword" of the book describes obesity as the most important health problem in America. Type II diabetes has increased 2000% in the past 20 years. Some of the problems that await overweight Americans include: A much shorter life span, A great increase in heart disease, A great increase in respiratory and sleep disorders, A great increase in emotional challenges like depression and anxiety, A great increase in stroke, heart attacks and lung disorders of all kind. The book's availability comes at a time when excess weight is the biggest risk factor to developing Diabetes, a disease that cost the U.S economy almost $200 billion a year. In developed countries, 300,000 deaths per year are attributed to obesity. This book is oriented for parents, but is "adolescent friendly." This book may just be the most important family read of the 21st century.