Presenter: Avery FaigenbaumExercise Training for Overweight Youth: Why Weight?

The global epidemic of pediatric obesity and associated co-morbidities has become a critical public health threat for the 21st century with far-reaching health, economic and social consequences. New insights indicate that resistance training can be a safe, effective and worthwhile method of conditioning for all youth regardless of body size. This presentation will reviewthe potential benefits of resistance exercise for overweight youth and will provide creative suggestions for designing resistance training programs for inactive children and adolescents.

Bio: Avery Faigenbaum is a Full Professor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science at The College of New Jersey. As a leading researcher and practitioner in the field of pediatric exercise science, he has developed successful physical activityprograms for children and teenagers and has been an invited speaker at over 300 national and international conferences. Dr. Faigenbaum has co-authored over 175 peer-reviewed publications and has written thirty bookchapters and nine books on pediatric fitness and conditioning.