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Wellspring camps


Wellspring Camps are health and wellness camps for children, teens, young adults, and families. Located in California and Florida, Wellspring's scientifically based programs focus on changing behavior and eating patterns in order to create long-term healthy lifestyles for participants.

One of the more high-profile cases for Wellspring was Georgia Davis, who gained more than 500 pounds after leaving Wellspring.

An older study from 2005 which includes a small selection of campers and only self-reported data, found that 70 percent of Wellspring campers had maintained the weight or continued to lose in the six to nine months after camp ended; the weight loss afterward averaged 7.4 pounds. Research conducted by Dr. Daniel Kirschenbaum, Wellspring's former Clinical Director and Director of Chicago's Center for Behavioral Medicine & Sport Psychology, tracked Wellspring's long-term outcomes as compared to other summer weight loss programs. According to Dr. Kirschenbaum's research, campers consistently demonstrate average weight loss of 4 lbs. per week, and 30 lbs total in 8 weeks. In 6-12 month follow-up studies, the average camper goes on to lose more weight– an additional 5-8 lbs., on average.

Wellspring's long term outcomes and approach have come into question in the medical community. Many physicians and dietitians, including vocal critic Robert Ludwig, criticize their low to zero fat approach, and question how successful Wellspring is in creating long term weight loss results. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that children and adolescents must have a minimum of 20 grams of fat per day, but not to exceed 30 grams of fat, in order to maintain healthy brain growth. Wellspring teaches its campers and family that this is not necessary. Additionally, Dr. Ludwig has said that he is particularly worried about the effect on vulnerable teenagers who regain weight after their families have sacrificed so much financially to send them to Wellspring. "The sense of failure that can set in afterward could inflict long-term damage, "he said. Pediatric endocrinologist David Ludwig is the director of the obesity program at Children's Hospital in Boston

Wellspring differentiates itself from traditional fat camps, where the focus has historically been on short-term weight loss rather than long-term lifestyle modification. The New York Times reports that more than half of all campers attending traditional weight loss camps are repeat customers, indicating that most of these campers regain substantial amounts of weight within the first year. Wellspring's research indicates that over 70% of their campers maintain weight loss from camp, or continue losing weight. Typically, the only doctors that are on staff at every Wellspring camp are clinical psychologists that are personally groomed by Dr. Kirschenbaum.

Another Wellspring success story Jahcobie Cosom is now looking at gastric bypass after gaining weight post Wellspring. "Jahcobie Cosom tried the usual diet plans. He lost weight -- for a time -- at a school focused on weight loss. But now, he weighs more than 500 pounds. His next planned stop is gastric bypass surgery." Source: The Washington Post


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