The first summer weight loss camp for juniors in Croatia

Recently in Zagreb the first weight loss camp for juniors in Croatia was presented to the public. A psychologist with an American Diploma, Iva Brozičević Dragičević, M.Sc., a professor known for working with top athletes within Terme Selce Polyclinic, has presented her authoring program of summer camp, which will be implemented by Terme Selce Polyclinic in cooperation with ZONA Boutique Health Center from Zagreb.

During the presentation of the summer camp program prof. Brozičević Dragičević pointed out: "There is much talk about obesity in Croatia. The interdisciplinary team that we presented today has shaped this program, focusing not only on the child but also on parents, as the basis for maintaining good health in obese children is changing habits and lifestyles. In addition to the specialist medical examination, children will have an intensive exercise program through entertainment, games and culinary workshops that they will attend together with their parents. This program lasts 61 days, and after the program at Terme Selce Polyclinic, an active exercise under the supervision of parents and coaches will continue in ZONA Boutique Health Center in Zagreb."

ZONA represents innovative concepts in the area of life trends in shaping the mind and the body. It offers a complete solution that contributes to the quality of life and health. In the second phase of the program, ZONA will help to maintain good physical fitness, continue the program of proper nutrition, and offer different techniques of thinking and relaxation.

"In the project with Terme Selce Polyclinic, we want to encourage and inspire state and private educational institutions to think about introducing new exercise programs and changing nutritional habits. We are the first to introduce parent and child exercise program using the IBD method (IVA BROZIČEVIĆ DRAGIČEVIĆ). Coaches will go through the training that will be held in ZONA within the camp. The goal of the project is to change the lifestyle of children and parents as part of the process that requires time and other forms of investment." emphasized Lea Salihagić, MBA, manager of the ZONA center.

"I will highlight the crucial – frequency of obesity in children today is taking on epidemic characteristics, and the only adequate treatment for obesity is prevention, ie, treatment of obesity in childhood during the time of intense fat cells production. In addition, the treatment of obesity in children should be multidisciplinary and in close co-operation with parents, while complications of obesity should be prevented, as prevention has been shown to be the only effective way of action." stated prof. Mladen Peršić, MD, a subspecialist pediatrician from the field of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition.

"The nutritionist is present in the everyday program because it is the food that is the pleasure or comfort that provides the cause of the consequential problem, which is inadequate weight and health problems that accompany it. Adequate and adapted nutrition is imperative to achieve optimal body mass and improve the health of the entire organism." said nutritionist Martina Linarić, Ph.D., B.Sc.

During the conference, the president of the Association for Prevention of Excessive Weight, Sonja Njunjić presented a lot of worrying statistics. Examination of obesity in 2002 showed that there was 5% of obese children, and between 2% and 3% of overweight children. Repeated in 2016, on approximately 7,000 children, the percentage of obese children was 35%, and overweight between 18% and 22%.