HOUSTON – Heart surgeon and best-selling author Dr. Mehmet Oz has teamed up with Houston’s Recipe for Success in an effort to combat childhood obesity.

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Dr. Mehmet Oz teamed up with Houston's Recipe for Success to help combat childhood obesity.

According to Recipe for Success, more than 50% of Houston children are losing the battle of the bulge.  They said that a child, who is at risk for obesity at eleven, could face a lifetime of serious medical problems ranging from diabetes to heart failure.

On November 11, Dr. Oz spoke at a special Recipe for Success luncheon at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston.  The lunch was attended by nearly 700 people, and raised funds and awareness about the growing problem – and what could be done about it.

“Kids are not the problem; they are solution,” said Oz.

Five years ago, Dr. Oz started his child obesity foundation, HealthCorps, which he is now hoping to bring to Houston.

“Communities need to advocate for the change.  Sometimes all it takes is a principal who wants it to get it going in a particular school,” said Oz.

Dr. Oz’s program is currently in seven states.  It works by teaching teens about what is going on inside their bodies.

“If they know what’s going on inside their bodies, then they take control,” said Dr. Oz.  “Control of their bodies suddenly becomes something ‘cool’.”

They program employs recent college graduates to help teach the younger students on how to eat well and exercise smart.

“The program helps to make the teens mentally tough to defeat the modern world,” said Oz.  “Overeating is how they rebel, but they will never be satisfied with calories alone.” 

But even though the college grads are there to help give the kids the tools they need for the future, the real training happens outside the classroom.  Dr. Oz calls it viral-training and it’s when the kids start teaching each other.

“Once the program is in the schools, it has a viral effect.  The kids start talking to each other in the hallway and spread the word,” said Oz.

The partnership with Houston’s Recipe for Success works as a compliment to Oz’s program.  Recipe for Success formed to help fight childhood obesity by altering the way children understand, appreciate and eat their food. Two years ago, they launched a pilot program in five HISD elementary schools. The model is now being translated into a comprehensive program guide for all schools.

In April of 2008, Dr. Oz and his organization recognized Gracie Cavnar, the Founder and Board Chairperson of Recipe for Success, with an award for her work on behalf of Houston’s children.   The luncheon on Tuesday helped bring the two programs even closer together.

“We’re thrilled that Dr. Oz came to speak to us,” said Cavnar.  “We share a passion for taking change straight to the children before destructive patterns are in place.”