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Three Guidelines

In addition to joining a weight-losing
club, Dr. Owen lists three
other guidelines for coping with
obesity: exercise, following a normal
diet but eating smaller amounts
and developing a new interest.

"When a dieter takes food away
from his schedule, he should
compensate by adding a new sport
or hobby," says Dr. Owen.

Such therapy is especially effective
in treating teenage obesity, he
says. This is often the worst kind
because teenagers, following the
herd instinct, feel they must look
like each other, he says.

"Above all," Dr. Owen says,
"obesity should be treated with
respect." Obesity is a "very stubborn
condition," and everyone
should weight carefully the costs as
well as the benefits of dieting.

Some persons set a dieting goal,
he says, and, when they can't reach,
lose complete confidence in themselves
as persons. On the other hand
obesity increases the mortality and
morbidity or degree of illness in
many diseases, he says.