how teenagers suffering from severe obesity are cared for in this specialized center

There are around fifteen teenagers, aged between 12 and 15, who meet in this center in La Bourboule, in Puy-de-Dôme. They all suffer from the same pathology: severe obesity. At the center, the objective is not so much to lose weight, but rather to take care of these young people with gentle methods and to establish long-term habits.

Today is an educational meal day for Ali, a patient at the obesity treatment center in La Bourboule (Puy-de-Dôme). “I was hungry earlier. By waiting, it goes down again. Now, I’m not very hungry. » He shares with Cécile Meyronneinc, dietitian nutritionist, individual and quiet time, which has become useful over the weeks. Ali, 15, from the Paris region, arrived in September. There remains until December: “I think that in terms of the speed of eating, I can control it better. Before, I could eat very quickly, in 10 minutes I could eat a full plate. Now, in terms of speed and quantity on my plate, it’s okay, I managed to dose much better. » For an average of three months, these young people are supported by a whole team.

Speed, but also the desire to eat a certain food or even the feeling of hunger, all these aspects are precisely worked on during these meals. Cécile Meyronneinc explains: “When we are treating obesity obviously, meal times will be key moments since this is where we will be able to observe the eating behavior of patients and see with them the things that can be modified, little by little, so that these are pleasant moments where they listen to themselves. »

Like Ali, there are around fifteen adolescents between 12 and 15 years old who are taken care of in this center in La Bourboule. They all suffer from the same pathology: severe obesity. Michael Dufernez, director of the establishment, indicates: “Obesity is a disease, it is a clear observation, but it is not clear to everyone. We have this image of an obese person who has no willpower. No, it’s a chronic illness. Children who are obese will have this disease all their lives. »

Here there is no drastic diet or intensive sport, it is about adapting to young people, improving their quality of life, stabilizing their weight and above all understanding the origin of the disease. Michael Dufernez details: “The cause can be hereditary, genetic, metabolic, but in 90% of cases, it is psychological or environmental. It’s a life event that will trigger obesity”. Pauline Pawlowski, nurse, warns of the disastrous consequences of this disease: “There is a lot more trauma, violence… Harassment is the same. Of all the children we have, I would say that around 70% of them have experienced school bullying at very advanced levels. »

For Mathilde, 16, it was anxiety that was one of the triggers for obesity: “I am very uncomfortable with the way others look at me. There, things have been a little better for two months but it was very complicated. I struggled, I didn’t have self-confidence, I couldn’t dress myself, I always wore baggy clothes so people wouldn’t see my body. » In this “big house” as she describes it, Mathilde feels better and hopes to find a balance: “Even if we don’t lose weight, the goal is that we get better mentally and that, when we leave here, we have more confidence in ourselves, that we feel better about ourselves. » During these few months, young people learn to have confidence in themselves and to equip themselves with the weapons necessary to fight this disease.