Royal Oak-based doctor pens book
about his anti-childhood obesity program

By Jeremy Carroll
C & G Staff Writer

ROYAL OAK — While attending a conference in Pontiac about childhood obesity a few years back, Dr. Paul Ehrmann was stunned at what he heard.

“They said, ‘A child may not outlive their parents if we keep going the way we are going,’” the family physician said. “That was extremely alarming to me.”

So Ehrmann got to work and developed the Children’s Health Initiative Program in 2002. The five-week, after-school program for students and parents focuses on eating right and exercising.

The program was introduced to 30 students in Royal Oak in 2005, and later to kids in Southfield and Trenton. And now, the Royal Oak-based doctor has written a book about the program, “Generation XL,” in hopes to expand the message.

“This is really a big deal,” he said about childhood obesity, noting that more than 20 million children are overweight, and if trends continue one in every three Caucasian children, in particular, will get diabetes. “It’s going to cost this country a lot of money.”

He said the program is very family-oriented in that it focuses on parents as well as children.

“We have the parents because you have to (have) reinforcement to make this work,” he said.

The program includes exercising routines, a trip to the grocery store with a dietician and even cooking classes. Overall, his staff of volunteers that makes it all work includes a physical therapist, psychologist, dietician and a cook.

“All you need is your mentor and leadership team to get started,” Ehrmann said of the possibility of the free program spreading to other areas outside of metro Detroit. It’s a completely grassroots-type program, he said.

Because of a lack of funding, he said it was difficult to track students from the initial batch of participants, but anecdotally, he said they have been successful.

“I’ve seen some of them as patients, and yes it’s been good,” said Ehrmann, 55, of West Bloomfield. “I feel really good about what we’ve been able to do.”

Alison Bassman came to a book signing and discussion featuring Ehrmann on Jan. 29 at Northwood Elementary School with her teenage daughters Emily and Hannah.

“I’ve seen it,” said Bassman, a teacher with Berkley School District, about childhood obesity. “When I taught high school, I would walk through the cafeteria and notice what kids were eating. And I would see someone with a Hostess cake and two chocolate milks.”

The three have been patients of Ehrmann’s, but Bassman said she wants to take the program back to Berkley and introduce it there.

“I want to spread it,” she said.

The book is $14.95 and is available at Borders and also through the Web site dedicated to the program, www.chipkids.com.

You can reach Staff Writer Jeremy Carroll at jcarroll@candgnews.com or at (586) 279-1110.