By DENAE BYBEE

Choices. So many choices. For 13-year-old Brittany Kotter of Roy, her teenage world is interrupted with what used to be considered an adult problem.

With peaches-and-cream complexion, the red-cheeked brunette assuredly said she gets straight A's in school, and has lots of friends.

She likes to read the "Chicken Soup For the Soul" book series, and go to the mall with friends - not the usual happy scenario for an overweight eighth-grader.

Cradled in an over-stuffed loveseat next to her grandma, Linda Kotter, it is easy to understand Brittany's self-confidence. A month ago, Brittany decided to join the Weight Watchers program. Her family is supportive of her decision, especially her grandma, who also joined for the second time and hopes to lose 80 pounds.

Even though the idea to join Weight Watchers was her grandma's, Brittany eagerly agreed because she said she wanted to lose weight to fit in her clothes better.

Brittany is among the 36,000 Utah adolescents who are overweight or at risk of becoming so.

Brittany said she feels like she's had a weight problem since the fifth grade.

"I'd always wear hoodies, and I didn't have any clothes that fit me," she said.

During a routine physical examination in fifth grade, Brittany's doctor told her she had high cholesterol, but she did nothing about it.

Brittany remembers the slogan "eat five-a-day [of fruits and vegetables]" from her fifth-grade health class but said she didn't really care.

Despite warnings to avoid eating junk food like chips, pretzels and soda pop, she ate them anyway because "it took too much time and effort [to eat fruit and vegetables]," she said.

Things have changed since then. Breakfast used to consist of Lucky Charms cold cereal or Toaster Strudels, if she had time before leaving for school.

Beginning the second semester of seventh grade, she said she noticed that after eating the usual breakfast, she did not feel good at all.

"It happened after first period," Brittany said. "First, I couldn't see right and then I'd get a huge migraine headache and throw up at school."

She didn't suspect her repeated illness was connected to her sugary breakfasts.

Brittany's frustration grew because she would only feel better after going home and eating lunch.

"I wish I could stay at school so I didn't have to make up the work," she said.

She likes school. Despite the 180 pounds on her 5-foot-4 frame, Brittany said neither she nor her overweight friends have ever been teased by peers.

"We don't talk about it [weight]," Brittany said.

None of her overweight friends want to join Brittany in her healthy-eating program, though they agree it is a good idea.

Since deciding to change her eating habits, Brittany has lost three pounds and the recurring headaches are gone.

"I drink a lot of water and am starting to like it a lot more," she said.

Brittany said she thinks she can make her new healthy eating habits a lifestyle change because "the food you have to eat isn't gross. It is really good," she said.

Lunch choices offered at school vary from pizza and soda pop to salad and milk. Brittany has replaced her pizza with salads, chicken and fruit juice.

"I really like salad because it has the chicken in it," she said.

Choosing portions the size of a tennis ball or computer mouse is one of the many methods of healthy eating that have become essential to Brittany's daily dietary routine.

Gauging correct food portions is important for Brittany because prior to the diet, she didn't keep track of how much she ate during the day, she said.

Now she can visualize a serving size of meat as the same size as a computer mouse and a serving of rice to be equal to the size of a tennis ball.

"I used to eat whatever I wanted," she said. "I would stuff myself until I was about to blow up."

"Blowing up" in her weight keeps her motivated to be active. Brittany likes to jump on the trampoline, walk her dog twice a week and ride bikes with her brother.

Her "dream" activity would be dancing, but she hasn't pursued it yet.

Unlike many of her peers, she only plays video games once a month, doesn't watch TV and only uses the computer for homework.

Brittany's grandma said obesity runs on both sides of her family and hopes teaching Brittany about healthy eating choices now will keep her from a lifetime of poor health and obesity.

Brittany would like to be skinny like some girls at school, but not mean like them.

"I hate mean people," she said. "They just ignore you and think they're 'all that.' I want to be skinny like them because they look cute in their clothes."

Brittany is already looking at some new clothes she's going to get at Old Navy and Kohl's when she loses the doctor-recommended 43 pounds.

Copyright Brigham Young University 6 Aug 2007