USA Today documents teen weight issues

Risky step conquers weight issue
Raechel Arnold, 17, has lost 117 pounds since July 23, when she had laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery, which creates a much smaller stomach and rearranges the small intestine.

At 5 feet 10, she weighed 323 pounds and was barely squeezing into a size 24 when she went in for the surgery. Today, five months later, she weighs 206 and is wearing a size 14.

"Sometimes adolescents lose more weight after the surgery than adults do, possibly because teens haven't "broken down their metabolic system with years and years of yo-yo dieting."

Teen replaced bad habits with exercise, healthy food
Espanola Roberts, who was 14 and weighed 258 pounds, went to her first Weight Watchers meeting in 2001.

Last year, after 1½ years in the program, she reached her goal weight of 121 pounds. Now at age 16, she weighs 120 pounds and is 5 feet, 2 inches. She wears a size 6 and feels good about it.

Nothing is off limits as long as she balances it out. "When you are forbidden to eat something, then you want it even more," she says. "When you have the authority to have it, you don't want it."

Once scorned, he now inspires others to lose weight
Kendall Squall once weighed 340 pounds.

Tired of people talking about his weight, Kendall joined the Committed to Kids pediatric weight management program at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. Since then, he has been following a balanced diet that eliminates most junk foods and increases protein intake. And he is exercising more. In nine months, he has lost 40 pounds.

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