Childhood obesity

Obesity in the early chilhood

2012-01-25T09:08:00.000-08:00

by Lesvia Rivera

At the individual level, childhood obesity is the result of an imbalance between the calories a child consumes as food and beverages and the calories a cild uses to support normal growth and development, metabolism, and physical activity. In other words, obesity results when a child consumes more calories than the child uses. The imbalance between calories consumed and calories used can result from the influences and interactions of a number of factors, including genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. It is the interactions among these factors - rather thann any single factor - that is thought to cause obesity.

Studies indicate that certain genetic characteristics may increase an individual's susceptibility to excess body weight. However, this genetic susceptibility may need to exist iin conjunction with contributing environmental and behavioral factors (such as a high-calorie food supply and minimal physical activity)to have a significant effect on weight. Genetic factors alone can play a role in specific cases of obesity. However, the rapid rise in the rates of overweight and obesity in the general population in recent years cannot be attributed solely to genetic factors. The genetic characteristics of the human population have not changed in the last three decades, but the prevalence of obesity has tripled among school-aged children during that time.

Because the factors that contribute to chilhood obesity interact with each other, it is not possible to specify one behavior as the "cause" of obesity. However, certain behaviors can be identified as potentially contributing to an energy imbalance and, consequently, to obesity. Large portion sizes for food and beverages, eating meals away from home, frequent snacking on energy-dense foods and consuming beverages with added sugar are often hypothesized as contributing to excess energy intake of children. In the area of consuming sugar-sweetened drinks, evidence is growing to suggest an association with weight gain in children. Consuming sugar-sweetened drinks may be associated with obesity because these drinks are high in calories. Children may not compensate at meals for the calories they have consumed in sugar-sweetened drinks, although this may vary by age. Participating in physical activity is important for children as it may have beneficial effects not only on body weight, but also on blood pressure and bone strength. Physically active children are also more likely to remain physically active throughout adolescence and possibly into adulthood. children spend a considerable amount of time with media. One study found that time spent watching TV, videos, DVDs and movies averaged slightly over 3 hours per day. Several studies have found a positive association between the time spent viewing television and increased prevalence of obesity in children. Media use, and specifically television viewing, may displace time children spend in physical activities, contribute to increased energy consumption through excessive snacking and eating meals in front of the TV, influence children to make unhealthy food choices through exposure to food advertisements, and lower children's metabolic rate.

Home, child care, school, and community environments can influence children's behaviors related to food intake and physical activity. Parent-child interactions and the home environment can affect the behaviors of children related to calorie intake and physical activity. Parents are role models for their children who are likely to develop habits similar to their parents. Almost 80% of children aged 5 years and younger with working mothers are in child care for 40 hours a week on average. Child care providers are sharing responsibility with parents for children during important developmental years. Child care can be a setting in which healthy eating and physical activity habits are developed. The built environment within communities influences access to physical activity opportunities and access to affordable and healthy foods. Additionally, lack of access to affordable, healthy food choices in neighborhood food markets can be a barrier to purchasing healthy foods.

Did you know that the rate of obesity has increased by 300% in recent years. Overweight in children 6-11 has doubled since 1980. More than 58 million Americans are overweight, and that includes at least 1 in 5 children. Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death (after smoking).

To lose weight or prevent weight gain we should increased healthy eating, and increase physical activity. For overweight children, the goal is to maintain their weight so that as they grow taller they will "grow into" their weight loss with this aged group.

To get a child to start eating vegetables, we should introduce one new foood a month. When introducing a "new food" to the children plan a fun activity, story, or project about the new food. We may need to expose the child to this new food 7 to 15 times before they will accept it!

About the Author

Lesvia Rivera is a Hispanic woman, that has been living in United States for 22 years. I am the mother of two boys, 10 and 8 years old. I am been working in the earlychildhood field for over 10 years, and as a Director of a center for 8 years. A good nutrition among children is a subject that concern me a lot, and I want to help mothers like me, to get our children to have a better nutrition.

Obesity in the early chilhood

2011-12-10T09:08:00.001-08:00

Weight-loss remedy using human placenta protein outlawed

2011-12-06T22:39:00.000-08:00

Federal regulators are ordering several companies to stop selling an unproven weight-loss remedy that uses protein from the human placenta.

The Food and Drug Administration issued warning letters to seven companies that sell — whether as drops, pellets or sprays — human chorionic gonadotropin, which is produced by the placenta and found in the urine of pregnant women. While it is approved for certain infertility treatments, the FDA said there is no evidence it helps reduce weight.

Many of the products cited in the warning letters claim to change “abnormal eating patterns,” and help people lose 20 to 30 pounds in as little as a month when used with a low-calorie diet, usually around 500 calories per day.

The companies cited by regulators have 15 days to respond and detail how they intend to remove their products from the market. Failure to do so may result in legal action, including seizure and injunction, or criminal prosecution

CHILDHOOD OBESITY: WHAT ARE THE HEALTH RISKS?

2011-11-27T15:52:00.000-08:00

by Dew Drops

It is very likely that the current wave of obesity among children will result in higher rates of cardiovascular disease of diabetes in the coming decades. But a second systematic review of research on obesity and childhood metabolic diseases in adulthood has shown that there is little evidence that the treatment of obesity in childhood will eliminate any risk of lasting harm.

This new study, the second of its kind carried out by experts in nutrition at the University of Nottingham, has strengthened the position that we could be at risk if we were thin as children and become obese as adults. Unexpectedly, the work suggests that there may also be a slight protective effect if we are overweight as children and reduce our body mass index (BMI) in adulthood.

The research, funded by Organic Foundation, and published online in the journal International Journal of Obesity, cautions that not nutritionists and dieticians are considering a risk group.

This second review was conducted by Dr. Sarah Louise Lloyd McMullen, Professor of Human Nutrition and Professor Simon Langley-Evans, all of the Division of Nutritional Sciences (School of Biosciences). The Division carries out research activities that focus on the basis of individual response to diet, development and aging.

Their study shows that previous studies suggest that childhood obesity increases the risk of permanent illness, but did not take into account the BMI of adults. Consequently, there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate the links with a long-term risk that is independent of BMI in adulthood.

The researchers reviewed 11 academic studies that have considered the health of thousands of people living in westernized countries. They say that when an adult had a higher BMI was lower during childhood, in fact, had the highest odds of hypertension, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Professor Langley-Evans said: "There is substantial evidence that the traces of childhood obesity occur in adulthood and it is clear that adult obesity puts us at higher risk of metabolic diseases, therefore, we are not suggesting that the 'Childhood obesity is of no consequence: the prevention and treatment of obesity in childhood and adolescence are entirely appropriate in order to establish a healthy weight into adulthood. However, we found that the nature of the relationship between the beginning of the BMI and the risk of adult disease is very complex. People with low BMI in childhood that become obese as adults seem to be particularly at risk. Therefore, focusing on children who are overweight or obese for the promotion of health management will be missing an important group at risk. "

Overweight and obesity are associated with a number of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. The World Health Organization has estimated that about one third of coronary heart disease and ischemic attacks are attributable to excess weight. Since the prevalence of overweight and obesity continues to increase, there are significant implications for the population of morbidity and mortality with the increase in childhood obesity.

Dr. McMullen said: "We conducted the study because we were concerned with the impact of obesity in childhood on the risk of long-term disease. We were surprised to see that when the body mass indexes in adults have returned to normal the negative effects are returned. Our analysis of the research as a whole goes against many of the conclusions of individual studies. The most surprising thing for us was the discovery that those who are relatively thin in childhood, but they are obese during adulthood are at particular risk. "

"We must be very clear about one thing - obesity has a negative impact on health in many different ways. We know that people who are obese during childhood are more likely to be obese as adults, and this has a direct impact on their health and well-being at that time. It is generally believed that more is early onset and the longer the duration of obesity and higher cardiovascular risk, which has increased concerns about childhood obesity trends. However, important questions remain open about the nature of the relationship. For example, it is unclear whether the interventions of weight loss in adult life can improve all the risks associated with childhood obesity, or whether an independent effect of childhood obesity remains, regardless of adult weight. "

About the Author

http://www.healthparley.com/

Childhood Obesity and Bad Nutrition

2011-11-15T22:38:00.000-08:00

by Ton Tonis

Obesity conditions are common to most people. Actually, childhood obesity is among the biggest disorder that is commonly come across by a large percentage of children. With obesity, ever more kids are at risk from several health conditions. It's the reason why a great deal of people wants their kid to rise above this disease. This problem is simply the result of having high amounts of intakes of foods. For that reason, you will need to restrain yours young ones food intakes. To have a better understanding on the subject of childhood obesity and damaging eating routine, consider the following as your manual and then judge how it has an effect on the well-being of your kids. Get rid of your troubles right away through getting appropriate details in childhood obesity.

Theory of Childhood Obesity

This condition is something that is encountered by those kids which have too much body fat in their body. For being an obese in simple terms implies being overweight. In actual fact, there is absolutely no accurate meaning of obesity or overweight for the children. Just one of an extremely good method in keeping track of your own kid is thru reviewing his body development using graphs and various other information and facts. Childhood obesity can be without difficulty resolved. By just following the needed strategies to getting rid of obesity, your complications can be easily cleared.

Causes of Childhood Obesity

One of the many key reasons behind obesity is through consuming loads of foods. Bad nutritionist as well a great reason for obtain a lot of body weight and formulate childhood obesity. As identified, the majority of the children at all times eat certain foods like potato chips, snack bars as well as other junk foods. These are definitely a number of the reasons that drastically impact on their body's state. Besides that, family standard of living also plays a role in extra weight. If we can find unacceptable dietary habits at home, family members are sure to establish obesity, particularly the children. Other reasons can consist of insufficient physical exercises and family genes.

Negative effects of Childhood Obesity and Poor Eating plan

Childhood obesity normally can cause adult obesity. In many instances, those people that experienced childhood obesity still finds it difficult to defeat their problems until eventually they reach their adult age. Men and women who experienced childhood obesity are vulnerable to numerous health concerns including all forms of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure levels, together with other breathing issues. All sorts of disorders could be either fixed or turn out to be severe based on the method that you heal them.

Strategies on the way to Overcome Child Obesity and Bad Nutrition

There are numerous strategies for getting over child obesity and bad nutrition. Firstly, you will need to train your kid to start having healthy and balanced food. With appropriate diet, sweet drinks and foods which contain high calories need to be reduced. An obese child should also stay away from frozen foods. Beans and grains are a few of the most effective healthy fibers regarding obese children. In addition to this, you must also increase their physical activities. Childhood obesity isn't too difficult to take care of. With appropriate self-discipline and recommendations of adults, it is possible to triumph over childhood obesity.

Bad nutrition influences your child's health and wellness. For people who have an obese child, here is the time to help them beat this problem. Improve your child's lifestyle as quickly as possible and take some other strategies to get to the desirable health conditions. By just retaining a well-balanced diet, you'll certainly fight childhood obesity.

About the Author

If you would like to learn more about bad nutrition and obese children you should definitely check out Childhood Obesity Facts Center

What Parents Can Do To Fight Obesity In Children

2011-10-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re well aware of the huge coverage in the media, especially television, regarding the rapidly growing rate of obesity in children.

Even more painfully obvious is the fact that although our presumed awareness has increased, the actions taken to address this issue have not.

The phrase “you are what you eat” is painfully true, especially when dealing with obesity in children. So, if the assumption is made that as parents or adults, our awareness of the problem is there, then why aren’t we seeing a decrease in obesity in children rather than the reverse?

The truth is, children don’t do the weekly shopping for groceries, and they don’t cook the meals. So where is the food coming from? Who is the person responsible for bringing the food into the home? Children will eat what is available and they will no doubt scream if they don’t get all the fast food and junk food they desire, but who is the parent and who is running the show? Obesity in children is a serious issue that can and will cause health issues for these young people.

Admittedly, kids can wear the best of parents down but at the end of the day, their physical future is just as important or even more so, then their educational and vocational future. So, let’s review some tactics that might help over time.

Control the Amount on the Plate

It's no wonder that obesity in children is on the rise when you see the servings of food considered normal. Average portions served in fast food outlets and in many family restaurants have more than doubled since the 1950’s. As a result, the public has come to believe that these huge portions are in fact average, or normal. They are not. Portions served in Asia and Europe are considerably smaller and the results are obvious. If you find yourself at a fast food outlet and the kids are screaming, now’s the time for compromise. Get the smaller servings or share the servings between a couple of them. Be sure to avoid the sugared drinks and this includes fruit juices. Even though they are low in fat and sugar does not contain fat, sugar is stored as fat if not burned up with exercise.

Encourage the kids to eat slower. Perhaps engage them in conversation over the meal so they slow down. By eating at a slower pace, it give the brain time to get the message from the stomach that it is in fact full. What About Between Meals?

Let’s face it; kids can be bottomless pits when it comes to satisfying their appetites. It may seem difficult at first, but keeping the junk food out of the house is a good place to start. If it can’t be avoided, then only have small amounts in the house at any one time and perhaps only allow them once a day or every other day as a treat.

Many people suggest more fat free choices but if they are manufactured food, then what is usually done is more sugar is added o help the flavor and this can in fact be worse than the normal fat.

Natural, unprocessed food should always be the first choice. Fruit and veggies, already cut up and ready for the kids to grab is very handy and kids will get used to it. Even peanut butter on oat bran bread is a much better choice than cookies and candy.When kids are hungry enough, they’ll eat what’s available so make their choices healthier.Obesity in children can impact every area of their lives, including relationships with others.

No More Couch Potato

Activity is the name of the game. Having an electronic babysitter in the form of TV, computer and video games, although sometimes unavoidable for your sanity, really can contribute to obesity in children. If they don’t want to go outside and play, or do sports, then compromise and put in video games that are activity oriented, like learning to hiphop or learn other dances. Even exercise videos can be fun.

Instead of driving to places that are within walking distance, walk. This provides good exercise and gets the children outside in the fresh air.

Obesity in children is a huge problem and requires the attention of those people who are responsible for their care. The physical well being of children is just as important as their education because what kind of future will they have if it is negatively impacted by obesity and the serious medical complications that go with it? What kind of future will they have then?

Obesity That Parents May Cause

2011-10-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

by Dennis D DeVries

Obesity In Children

Obesity is a life shortening threat which needs to be dealt with as early as the first year of our life. If parents allow their children to eat everything they can get their hands on they are as much or more to blame than the child. The child may not know any better but the parents certainly do, or should know what over weight does for people.

Granted if one or both parents are obese then the children have a higher risk of being obese also, 40% or more chance. Since the parents have let themselves become obese they may just teach the kids the same habits. Parents really need to watch how they eat and teach the kids ways to prevent weight gain. It may well be considered child abuse to let their children become obese with out a medical reason.

Kids are naturally active and burn a lot of calories so they need more food at times between meals. Parents should supply the healthy snacks for them. Forget the junk food snacks and supply them foods which are healthy like apples, oranges, Kool Aid and vegetables. Junk food snacks would be chips, sugar candies, soda pop, anything high in sugars or salts.

The high sugar foods can cause hyperactivity in kids as well as tooth decay, also sets the path for them to become over weight at an early age. Over weight as a 5 year old is the perfect setting for them to soon become obese. If the parents don't correct them, then they will continue and most likely develop some serious health problems. High sugar foods lead to wanting more of them which leads to becoming addicted to them and always wanting more of them. The high sugars should be limited to the amount they can have or have the ability to get. Sugars stored in the body quickly turns to fat as the body does not use all of it and stores it for later use in the form of fat tissue.

Breakfast should be the most important meal of the day. After all it has been 6 to 10 hours since the body had any nutrients to sustain it. The presweetened cereals should be avoided for breakfast or any other time of day. The unsweetened cereals have more nutrition and fiber which is much more healthy for them.

When eating out with or without kids along look for the nutritious foods, first it teaches the kids how to order, and second it will keep you much healthier also. With all the ads on TV and billboards you would think that chips and greasy fried foods is all that's available to eat when dining out. Check out the salad bars and fill your plate with fruits, peppers and salad greens and watch the amount of dressing you use. Add some more sunflower seeds rather than croutons, or extra dressings. Kids will eat the same as you do more often than not if given the chance. Teach them early in life which foods to eat and they will be many times more likely to live a healthy and weight controlled life.

All education stems from a good foundation, so set the first stones of the foundation very carefully so they can grow up healthy. Weight control starts the day children are born and should continue through out their life. Teaching through example is the best way to educate anyone especially kids.

About the Author

As a baby boomer I have seen many people trying all kinds of diets to lose weight. I learned what works and what does not work and I am here to help anyone whom is looking to lose weight and stay healthy doing it. I have seen the health issues caused by fad diets and recommend that no one should use them.
Do Not Diet Until You Know The Facts About Dieting. Discover some facts about dieting at http://snoopys-store.com

A way to Detect If Your Kids Have Childhood Obesity Problems

2011-10-05T01:37:00.000-07:00

by Zhulifen

It is a well-known truth that if you compare these days's kids and children from a generation or two ago, you may notice some variations in many aspects.

One of the most variations is that these kids appear to mature faster in several ways. For instance, several of these days's youngsters are smarter and taller than you were at their age. In addition, Some even reach puberty before kids from one or two generations ago.

One may argue that this can be smart while others may say otherwise, however you have got to remember that with this trend of earlier maturity, there is also another trend that comes up. It is a trend that gets many folks and health specialists all around the United States worried thus much, childhood obesity.Several statistical reports show that a growing number of Yankee youngsters are obese, but how do you know for certain whether your children are obese or not? Do you think that these researchers just build up some random numbers and throw them at you to get your attention? As professional researchers, before releasing such reports, they ought to have some well-outlined criteria to see who should be categorized as obese. This means it will not become a guessing game.

In this report, I'm going to point out you ways to see if your youngsters have childhood obesity problems.As adults, we tend to are typically keen on fat and cute babies. People typically need to touch their bellies, play with them, and pinch their rosy cheeks. Fathers typically are proud when their babies grow into huge baby boys, while mothers are sometimes involved that their huge babies can not control their own strengths properly and may accidentally injure alternative smaller kids.

Additionally, when mothers raise considerations concerning their youngsters's big size, they're usually told not to urge overly involved as a result of the kids can grow into their weight.In most cases, as kids grow and become a lot of active, they have a tendency to become thinner. Unfortunately, not all youngsters are born the same. Although most of them will naturally become slimmer as they grow, some will still stay huge in size. Before we have a tendency to decide our children as obese, we have a tendency to have to understand a way to differentiate between normal childhood chubbiness and childhood obesity. Infants and babies are never diagnosed as obese. It is older kids that usually develop childhood obesity problems.

Unfortunately, oldsters are typically still in denial, while objective doctors have diagnosed their youngsters as obesene in every of the foremost correct ways in which to work out childhood obesity is by evaluating adiposity, that measures how a lot of fat an individual has. Sadly, the strategies which will be used to measure adiposity, are still quite expensive. This is why more folks opt for to use calipers to assess the fat at specific points on the body. This method is terribly cheap, reliable and correct, but only skilled practitioners can be in a position to produce the right diagnosis. This is often because of the extent of problem of using these calipers to get accurate results.

Usually, health experts use the body mass index (BMI), that measures the amount of fat in an exceedingly person's body by calculating the ratio between the height and the load, to determine if a child is obese or not. Kids are evaluated consistent with their MBT Lami age and they're thought of obese if they fall within the ninety fifth percentile for their age on the BMI scale.

About the Author

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How to Control Childhood Obesity in Your Kids?

2011-09-21T06:34:00.000-07:00

by Amit Kothiyal

The bad news and the good news about childhood obesity is that it is your responsibility and as a parent you can control it too. With good lifestyle choices, proper balanced diet and a regular exercise you can keep your child fit and free from obesity. Parental involvement is the ultimate solution to prevent obesity in children or for childhood obesity treatment. If your child is obese or is on the verge of obesity, you can ask him/her to exercise with you or a supervisor to ensure optimum amount of exercise. You can also control more than 70% of what your child eats. You just need to plan out a lifestyle for your kid so that they don�t accumulate fat in the body.

Diagnosing Obesity in Children

The first step to control childhood obesity is to check whether your child is already obese or not. Consult a doctor who can diagnose obesity through infant growth charts for small kids and through body mass index (BMI) for teenagers. Babies usually look chubby, but if your baby looks unusually fat then it�s time for you to consult a medical practitioner. An infant growth chart is a useful tool to diagnose whether a child is obese or not. It compares the weight of your child with his/her height and age and compares it with infants across different countries.

You can yourself check whether your child is overweight or not through BMI calculators and your child�s growth chart percentile ratings that are easily available on the Internet. These easily accessible tools can help you to find out whether your child is just a few pounds overweight or extremely obese, without even paying a visit to the doctor.

Obesity Health Hazards

Timely childhood obesity treatment is essential to prevent a variety of obesity induced health conditions like gallstones, sleep disturbances, hypertension, lipid problems, asthma, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis, liver problems, menstrual problems, and high cholesterol.

Steps to Control Obesity in Children

It is only in the hands of parents to control childhood obesity in their children. First you can start by controlling the amount of sweetened drinks like colas and fruit juices consumed by your child. Substitute their junk food diet with less oily health food. Schedule your child�s exercise time for about 40 to 60 minutes every day. This is what medical practitioners in America recommend as a part of childhood obesity treatment and prevention. Joining a social support group also helps you to deal with your child�s obesity problem.

About the Author

To know more about childhood obesity, childhood obesity treatment and other useful information visit http://www.peoples-health.com/ . Peoples-health.com is an online information guide that provides all information related to children's health, childhood obesity, causes of childhood obesity and much more.

Childhood Obesity Epidemic

2011-09-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

by Svetlana Jeliazkova

Childhood obesity causes, facts...

Childhood obesity is a serious health problem is high potential health risk in the future during their youth and adult age.

Childhood obesity has doubled in the last decade and adolescents, ie under the age of 18 years, obesity has tripled. To maintain health in the future of childhood obesity needs to control them.

These children are overweight or obese children become obese adults are at greater risk of cardiovascular disease. Overweight children are at risk of sleep apnea, bone and joint disorders, poor performance in studies, etc.

Healthy eating and physical activity helps control and prevent
of childhood obesity.

Body mass index measurement in schools helps to know the body mass index of children and measures can be taken to control childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity leads to adult obesity when they grow up. This untreated obesity can lead to high cholesterol, can cause juvenile diabetes, hypertension in later years.

How to prevent childhood obesity....

Establish a regular patter booklet.

Do not allow children to eat ever.

Avoid junk foods and spicy foods.

Consulting the child to eat green leafy vegetables maintain good health.

Make the child to engage in certain activities to avoid eating forever.

Regular practice of exercise helps prevent obesity.

Weigh the child every month to get access to reduce weight and burn fat in the body.

The child must be engaged in sporting activities, play to prevent childhood obesity.

Proper health education should be given to children.

Low-fat foods, less food, oil is good for preventing obesity.

Keep children away from sedentary lifestyles.

Diet: No time to prepare healthy meals at home and easy access to consuming food is the main cause of obesity among young people. The eating habits of young people have shifted away from healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains for processed and high calorie snacks, fast food and sugary soft drinks. They are best targeted by fast food chains, promoting their super-sized portions and all you can eat deals. These foods are ridiculously high in sugar content, saturated fats, white starches and carbohydrates are almost no nutrients.
Sedentary lifestyle: physical activity and sedentary lifestyle is also one of the key factors for increasing the percentage of overweight / obesity. Today, young people spend most of their day working in front of the computer and then spend a significant proportion of leisure time watching television or playing computer games. Staying physically inactive leaves unused energy in the body, most of which are stored as fat and it is also against our ancient "hunter harvested" body cycle. Not surprisingly, it is observed that overweight children were higher among children, adolescents and young people who often watch TV or work most of the time on computers.

Psychological factors: Many youngsters eat in response to negative emotions such as boredom, sadness or anger. Unfortunately, becoming food for the face depression can lead to obesity. Our society attaches great importance to looking a certain way. If young people do not fit this mold, they develop low self-esteem issues and body, which can lead to depression. Depression leads to increased negative emotions, which eventually leads to overeating, thus creating a vicious circle.

About the Author

We hear much in the news for children and "obesity epidemic" lately. You may be wondering what all this is. We have general ideas about obesity and overweight is unhealthy, but what are concerns?

Childhood Obesity and Bad Nutrition

2011-08-29T11:14:00.001-07:00

Childhood Obesity Is A Solvable Problem (II)

2011-08-09T21:33:00.000-07:00

by Donovan Baldwin

RESULTS OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY

If obesity in childhood were something that would end when the child becomes an adult, it would still be a problem. While many still believe the main results are something so apparently simple as low self-esteem, depression, or poor social interactivity, or that the child will simply "grow out of it" there are results more deadly to be concerned about.

Childhood obesity causes and results usually carry over into adulthood predisposing the adult to such problems as higher risks for heart disease, cancer, debilitating effects of arthritis, diabetes, sleep apnea, strokes, and high blood pressure to name a few. Childhood obesity will also commonly result in an earlier onset of these diseases and conditions than would be found in an unfit adult with a fit childhood.

However, for me, one of the worst facts is that these conditions are being seen more and more in the children themselves. They are not waiting for adulthood to begin their attacks.

So, what can be done?

SOLUTIONS FOR CHILDHOOD OBESITY

As with adults, the bottom line answer for obese and overweight children is the effective combination of two important lifestyle choices:

1. Regular Exercise

2. Healthy Nutrition

Since parents are generally the most important people in the child's world, they are the ones who need to accept the first responsibility for turning this problem around, at least in their own children. Some steps they can take are simple yet effective.

They can encourage more outside play, for example. While enrolling a child in some sort of fitness activity such as gymnastics or martial arts can have all sorts of benefits for the child, an active day is the quickest and easiest "exercise" fix. Chores can be assigned, children can be encouraged to walk or bicycle when practical rather than waiting for a ride from Mom or Dad. TV and computer time can be limited, or even "bought" with activity.

While nutrition is a broad subject, basic nutritional choices often come down to "good" versus "bad". For example, what's better for your child, a slice of apple pie or an apple? This is not to say that children should always be denied treats, but they should be doled out responsibly, and healthy alternatives should become commonplace in the home.

Last, but not least, few things will help a child improve in health, fitness, happiness or anything else more than a parent's good example. They ARE watching, you know, and they will behave as you behave...sooner or later!

So, get up off the couch, grab a glove and go play catch with your child...or take them for a walk or a swim. Patch the bicycle tire, or have them take turns with you mowing part of the yard or raking leaves. Some kids are aching to have their parents do SOMETHING with them.

Who knows?

You might even find you are dropping a few pounds yourself!

About the Author

Donovan Baldwin is a Texas writer. He is a University of West Florida alumnus, a member of Mensa, and is retired from the U. S. Army after 21 years of service. His interests include art, nature, animals, the environment, global warming, health, fitness, yoga, and weight loss. He has posted several of his articles on exercise and weight loss at http://nodiet4me.com/articledirectory/

Childhood Obesity Is A Solvable Problem (I)

2011-07-19T06:53:00.000-07:00

by Donovan Baldwin

I don't know if childhood obesity is "rampant" or an "epidemic". What I DO know is that it does not have to happen to our children.

However, just to put things in perspective, over a recent 30 year period measured by the National Health And Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a study conducted every 10 years to survey the dietary habits and health of U. S. residents, certain changes in childhood obesity came to light. The following increases in numbers of overweight and obese children, as determined by body mass index measurements (BMI), occurred.

*Numbers of children aged 2-5 years increased from 5.0% to 13.9%

*Numbers of children aged 6-11 years increased from 4.0% to 18.8%

*Numbers of children aged 12-19 years increased from 6.1% to 17.4%

CAUSES OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY

As with adults, the simple answer for the individual child is that when children take in more calories than they burn, they gain weight, i.e. become overweight and obese. However, children are influenced by societal factors, just as adults are, but they have less discretionary power to evaluate and decide as to the value of given nutritional and lifestyle choices, even in those cases where they are aware that a choice exists. Additionally, children are strongly influenced by what they are shown and taught by their elders, caregivers, siblings, and parents.

While it would be great if society would make an important enough issue of childhood obesity to turn the trend around, it is commonly the parents who will have the most influence for better or for worse on this issue.

Some common contributing factors to childhood obesity are:

1. Genetics: It has to be conceded that no matter what action parents, society, or the children themselves take, the genetic hand that the child was dealt will have a great impact on the outcome of any choices whether good or bad. However, the good news is that many negative genetic factors can be overcome to at least some extent by wise choices, which we will discuss in a few minutes.

2. Calorie Intake: As with adults, the more calories ingested, the more likely the path to obesity...particularly in the area of such empty calories as sodas and candy sweetened with sugar or corn syrup, for example. Other questionable choices are high fat snacks chosen in place of lower fat, more nutritionally dense snacks.

3. Calories Burned: Children used to burn calories by playing outside with other children, riding bicycles, and doing chores, just to name a few options. Today's kids often spend hours in front of a computer (like this big kid), only moving to go to the bathroom, get a snack, or to go sit in front of the TV for a few more hours.

4. Parental Influences: This can take many negative forms, not the least of which is the sedentary behavior exhibited by many parents. This trend can be seen in the rising numbers of overweight and obese adults. One of the most lasting and influential impacts on a child will be the examples set by the parents.

In parents' defense, let it be acknowledged that in today's family, it is often necessary for both parents to work outside the home. This, combined with the prevalence of fast food, perceived lack of time, stress, and a common lack of knowledge, and/or misconceptions about subjects such as exercise and healthy eating habits makes it easy for parents to provide a completely wrong example for their children, contributing to the children's' obesity problems while believing that they are doing everything they can to provide healthy meals and a good home.

(to be continued)

Children Obesity Is On The Rise And Many Believe It Is Because Of The Working Moms

2011-06-27T05:06:00.000-07:00

by Ethan Kalvin

Everyone knows that obesity is increasing particularly among children and there are many theories on why this happens. So of course the food they eat is certainly a contributing factor although some believe it is the fate of the working mother who is causing such a significant increase in weight of the child in the U.S. U.S.

As the number of working mothers has increased 50% to 70% over the past 35 years, so that the rate of childhood obesity has tripled now nearly 17% during the same period of time and just now researchers are beginning to wonder if good reason for this correlation. And there are reasons to believe that these two numbers are related. Studies show that the more a mother works the greater the risk that her children may become obese or overweight. The study was conducted in the primary school age children by the Child Development Journal.

During a child's development, for each additional 5 month period that the child's mother was employed they noted an extra pound of weight gain above and beyond normal growth. In addition, sixth graders of stay at home moms were six times less likely to be obese then those of working mothers.

Essentially it is not the working that is causing these children to gain weight but instead the fact that many working moms have less time to dedicate towards meal planning and therefore these families eat more prepackaged and fast foods which significantly increases the caloric, fat content, and sodium intake of the entire family. This fast paced household environment leaves mothers throwing together meals at the last minute with little consideration as to the nutritional content of such meals.

busy moms who are worried about this study and the impact of work on the food needs of their families can find healthy alternatives to fast food, including preparation of substantial portions weekend and holidays and then freeze them to reheat during the week time is limited. A slow cooker can also be an excellent tool for cooking in a busy household and when it is filled with fresh meat, potatoes and vegetables can make for a healthy alternative to fast food nights and frozen prepared dishes.

There are ways for moms to make sure that their family is getting the proper nutrition while still maintaining employment and by making a conscious effort to improve their family's eating habits can make a significant impact on keeping their children in the right weight range. It is important to make these changes early and to stick to regular healthy meals that will provide the family with the nutrition they need even when they are on the go.

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Battling Childhood Obesity through Smart Eating

2011-04-15T11:17:00.000-07:00

by Protica Research

Finally, a positive solution regarding America's difficult and costly campaign to stem childhood obesity is emerging. For the thousands of children and their families who are currently battling with childhood obesity, this good news is long awaited.

Indeed, the risk factors for childhood obesity read like a checklist of ailments that only a generation ago would never have been linked to children and diet: heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and of course, social ridicule and alienation [i]. This latter consequence of childhood obesity -- ridicule and alienation -- has the dual effect of damaging a child both physically and emotionally far beyond childhood, and possibly for the rest of his or her natural life.

For years, medical experts have called for a multi-faceted strategy to address this epidemic. It has been clear that any long-term solution must be fought on four major fronts: physical activity, sedentary behavior, socioeconomic status, and eating habits [ii].

Yet there is room for another pillar; or, at the very least, the identification of another component that must be a part of any lasting solution. This fifth pillar, or undiscovered component, is smart nutritional supplements.

Many obese children have been told repeatedly by well-intentioned dieticians that eating smart is the key to overcoming this scarring condition. This is easier said than done; especially when emotional eating or an unobserved food addiction [1] may fuel adverse eating habits.

Yet being told to "eat smart" is oftentimes not enough. Children must be provided with foods that are nutritionally sound, and foods that they actually enjoy eating. It is this latter criterion that most well-intentioned experts and caregivers overlook. This is explained below.

Most obese children are neither unable to learn, nor willfully disobedient. Some of these children even have remarkable support from their well-adjusted families who dutifully remove the usual suspects of chips, soft drinks, chocolate bars, and other damaging foods from the home. Yet many of these same children continue to gain weight and march ever closer to the litany of health defects noted above.

These children are not sadistic, and they are not attempting to kill themselves through eating; though some do because of the stigma associated with their condition. Indeed, many obese children are cognitively aware of the danger to which they are subjecting their bodies. Yet they continue to snack away in secret, or binge on foods when they get the chance, thereby undoing whatever minor gains might have been achieved in the previous few days or weeks.

The problem is one of food selection. Generally speaking, children of all weights and shapes will not eat something that they do not like. For obese children who have typically had unfettered access to highly stimulating foods such as gravies and sugar-loaded soft drinks, the willpower to eat unpalatable foods is undeveloped. Indeed, the dietician may snack away on carrots and celery while talking to an obese child about the importance of eating smart. For the obese child, carrots and celery are foreign foods for which there is no known preference.

This fifth pillar, or new component, is therefore one that provides obese children with nutritional supplements that they will eat. As stunningly obvious - even axiomatic - as this seems, it has been lost on many experts until recently.

Thankfully, as noted above, there is a solution emerging. It is one that meets this demand for tasty, healthy foods. Forward-thinking companies that understand their consumers are creating low-calorie, highly nutritious foods fortified with life-sustaining vitamins and protein. More importantly: they are tasty, and are often packaged in colorful containers that are "teen-friendly". Companies including MetRx™, Experimental and Applied Sciences™, Protica Research™, and others develop products that fit well within these requirements. Granted, a healthy diet does not start or end with nutritional supplements. A healthy diet employs nutritional supplements to complement and fortify real foods.

Indeed, children and families affected by the obesity epidemic in America are cautiously optimistic at this point; after all, they have been promised solutions in the past. However, thanks to the next generation of nutritional supplements, there is an expectation that this optimism will steadily grow with every success story, and every child that recovers from the potentially devastating impact of obesity.

About the Author

About Protica Research (http://www.protica.com) Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of dense nutrition in compact forms. Protica manufactures Profect (http://www.profect.com), IsoMetric (http://www.isometric.com), Pediagro (http://www.pediagro.com), Fruitasia (http://www.fruitasia.com) and many other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility. Copyright - Protica

Lifestyle more closely linked with childhood obesity, than genetics

2011-03-29T11:13:00.000-07:00

Question: Are some children genetically tuned to be overweight, or is lifestyle to blame for childhood obesity?

According to results compiled by the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center children who are obese were more likely to consume school lunch instead of a packed lunch from home and spend two hours a day watching TV or playing a video game.

U-M researchers found that 58 percent of obese children had watched two hours of TV in the previous day, compared to 41 percent of non-obese children. Forty-five percent of obese students always ate school lunch, but only 34 percent of non-obese students ate school lunch.

Significantly fewer obese kids exercised regularly, took physical education classes, or were a member of a sports team.

Because the eating and exercise patterns of obese children were so different than their normal weight peers, researchers concluded that lifestyle was more closely linked with childhood obesity, than genetics.

Childhood Obesity the Dangers Associated

2011-02-14T13:13:00.000-08:00

by Bonnie Baldwin

Childhood obesity, the dangers associated with it are alarming. We know that genetics is a factor in childhood obesity, but it is not the explanation for the recent epidemic of obesity.

There are dangers associated with childhood obesity that as parents and caretakers we should be concerned about. Children born in the USA during the year 2000 have a risk of being diagnosed with Type II Diabetes at some time in their lives. The risk is higher among ethnic minority groups at birth in addition to all ages. Type II Diabetes has rapidly become a danger for children as well as adolescents. Childhood obesity along with the dangers associated with it can also lead to metabolic syndrome, arthritis, cancer, and cardiovascular disease (CVD).

There is also several social, physical and emotional health consequences associated to childhood obesity.

Social Health - discrimination, teasing, bullying, and negative stereotyping.

Emotional Health - depression, low self-esteem, and negative body image.

Physical Health - type ll diabetes, sleep apnea, hypertension, glucose intolerance plus insulin resistance.

When it comes to obesity, there is also other long term risk associated to a child's health, such as having a lifetime risk of developing type II diabetes. There is also the risk of obesity reducing the overall adult life expectancy. The annual hospitalization cost for childhood and youth obesity has more than tripled over two decades. The fact is that childhood obesity is definitively on the rise, some states even had a prevalence of obesity that was 30% or greater. These states with a greater prevalence were West Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Mississippi.

Childhood obesity the dangers associated with it are very harmful. We live in a society that stigmatizes people who are obese. So when it comes to your children, they will have self-blame or often foster shame, and have low self-esteem. There is a proven way to help your child shed those unwanted pounds, and conquer obesity. As parents you are the determining factor as to whether or not your child is labeled as fat or healthy. Your child is depending on you for the proper guidance and help. Take action now and find out what you should be doing, the solution is simple visit http://www.TheChildhoodObesity.info to shed those unwanted pounds.

About the Author

Bonnie Baldwin is happily married with children. Have had many years of experience dealing with the obstacles that children face. Childhood obesity is a war we must all fight, and I am a troop on the front line fighting to defeat this epidemic

Children obesity high rates due to bad habits, not genes

2011-02-03T10:43:00.000-08:00

New research at University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center suggests poor eating and activity habits, not genetics, are the underlying causes for most cases of adolescent obesity.

Researchers say that for the extremely overweight child, genetic screening may be a consideration, but for the rest of them increasing physical activity, reducing recreational screen time and improving the nutritional value of school lunches offers great promise to begin a reversal of current childhood obesity trends.

The finding comes against the backdrop of the recent enactment of the federal government's new "Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010," which is designed to foster healthier school menus for the nation's 31 million children currently

The study findings were published in a recent issue of the American Heart Journal.

Lifestyle more closely linked with childhood obesity, than genetics

2011-02-01T11:13:00.000-08:00

Prevent Childhood Obesity

2011-01-15T09:40:00.000-08:00

by dilbertcool

Over worked and stressed out mothers all across the world seem to be settling for convince over quality. After a grueling day at the office, its easier to pick up something from the local take away shop rather than spend the precious few hours you have left of the day too cook a wholesome meal.

However, parents should also understand that not teaching their kids about good nutrition and fitness will only add to their future misery. Obese children are often bullied and made fun of to the point that it is hard for obese children to enjoy their childhood. In addition, they will often grow up with very low self-esteem which hinders their capacities and prevents them from becoming all they can.

Childhood obesity is a major problem that most of the developed countries are facing today. It has alarmed the whole world as child obesity if not cured during childhood find very difficult to reduce weight at later age. This may result in a number of serious diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. So, prevention is better than cure for obesity in childhood.

The main thing leading to childhood obesity is that there is no proper diet for children today. Parents don't understand the necessity of proper diet for children. Affection of eating habits on children are difficult to determine. Diet for children should include foods that have low calories and which are rich in proteins vitamins etc. i.e., diet for children should be hygienic.

Do you find yourself wondering if childhood obesity could be prevented? There has been some controversy about how to arrest the growing number of children suffering from obesity and weight problems. Among all the theories and discussions the one thing that stands out is that diet plays a large role in childhood obesity.

Childhood obesity is on the rise. Today it is estimated that one in three children ages 2-19 is either severely overweight or obese. This obesity crisis is estimated to cause 112,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. As unbelievable as it may sound, due to the dramatic increase in obesity, the current generation may well have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. The good news is you can prevent childhood obesity.

Parents are looking for solutions that do not exist. If you are a parent of an obese child you alone are to blame. Unless their is a medical problem, which seldom occurs, you are the one making all the decisions. How much do you know about obesity? Where did you learn how to become obese? How much effort have you put in to the skill of becoming larger than you should be

Shadow boxing is the warm up exercise that gets your kid limber and warm before beginning any workout routine. Boxers always begin their daily routine with shadow boxing. The power of shadow boxing is it creates a punching in the air atmosphere that makes the body move and twist when throwing punches. Shadow boxing tightens flabby arms and excess fat that rolls in the mid section.

Heavy bag punching is the best exercise to tighten and sculpture a young body because of the resistance it gives when punching it. The heavy bag is a heavyweight's favorite tool to tighten abs and tone the body. The heavy bag is also the primary tool that gives any body the muscular, athletic look that your kid wants today.

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Childhood Obesity Is A Solvable Problem (II)

2010-12-06T13:12:00.000-08:00

SOLUTIONS FOR CHILDHOOD OBESITY

As with adults, the bottom line answer for obese and overweight children is the effective combination of two important lifestyle choices:

1. Regular Exercise

2. Healthy Nutrition

Since parents are generally the most important people in the child's world, they are the ones who need to accept the first responsibility for turning this problem around, at least in their own children. Some steps they can take are simple yet effective.

They can encourage more outside play, for example. While enrolling a child in some sort of fitness activity such as gymnastics or martial arts can have all sorts of benefits for the child, an active day is the quickest and easiest "exercise" fix. Chores can be assigned, children can be encouraged to walk or bicycle when practical rather than waiting for a ride from Mom or Dad. TV and computer time can be limited, or even "bought" with activity.

While nutrition is a broad subject, basic nutritional choices often come down to "good" versus "bad". For example, what's better for your child, a slice of apple pie or an apple? This is not to say that children should always be denied treats, but they should be doled out responsibly, and healthy alternatives should become commonplace in the home.

Last, but not least, few things will help a child improve in health, fitness, happiness or anything else more than a parent's good example. They ARE watching, you know, and they will behave as you behave...sooner or later!

So, get up off the couch, grab a glove and go play catch with your child...or take them for a walk or a swim. Patch the bicycle tire, or have them take turns with you mowing part of the yard or raking leaves. Some kids are aching to have their parents do SOMETHING with them.

Who knows?

You might even find you are dropping a few pounds yourself!

About the Author

Donovan Baldwin is a Texas writer. He is a University of West Florida alumnus, a member of Mensa, and is retired from the U. S. Army after 21 years of service. His interests include art, nature, animals, the environment, global warming, health, fitness, yoga, and weight loss. He has posted several of his articles on exercise and weight loss at http://nodiet4me.com/articledirectory/

Childhood Obesity Is A Solvable Problem (I)

2010-12-06T13:10:00.000-08:00

Determining the Risks of Childhood Obesity Factors

2010-11-19T22:53:00.000-08:00

by Ken Wynn

One of the most important things that parents should know is the risks of childhood obesity. Obesity has become a common disorder that is tremendously increasing and largely affecting children. Here are few of the factors that are commonly associated with childhood obesity. If you are a concerned parent about your child that may have been suffering from this condition, this is something that you cannot just ignore.

One of these factors involved is diet. Most often, kids are consuming foods with high calorie content that are available in fast food chains, vending machines in schools and sweets that can easily make them gain weight. If you allow your children to consume much soft drink, candies and dessert, they will also gain weight fast. As much as possible, parents should watch out of their children's consumption of these types of foods.

Another factor that can trigger obesity is the lack of exercise. Children who are not regularly doing exercise are more likely to gain weight. This stops them also from burning calories because of their failure to perform physical activity. They consume more calories than burning them. And also, kids spend most of their time playing video games and watching TV which can further worsen the problem.

Family is also one of the childhood obesity factors. It is not impossible for a child to become overweight if most of the family members are really big. It is hard to stop this because the family environment often shows abundance in foods that are high in calorie. Moreover, the family does no practice physical activities.

Considering their emotions, children tend to eat more when they are stressed or if they are emotionally disturbed. Psychological factors have a huge role in the development of obesity in a child. Most probably, they learn this condition from their parents who might be having the same issues.

There are times when the family became the contributing factors in the condition of obesity. Parents sometimes fail to realize that most of the groceries they purchased are tremendously high in calories like chips, cookies and other foods that can speed up weight gain. If you are able to control the access of these foods to your children, you are more likely helping in losing their weight.

Another important fact that parents should know is that if their family are earning low, children are at risk of developing obesity. Most of them lack the time and resources to create a healthy eating plan and also fails to regularly perform exercise.

These factors should be something that a responsible parent should know. They should also develop a plan that will avoid their children from developing childhood obesity. These risks of childhood obesity factors should be determined ahead of time so that necessary actions can be immediately taken. Obesity in children is a serious issue that should not be neglected to provide proper attention and possible cures. It would be best for parents to implement really good strategies which can help greatly in your goal of keeping your children healthy and free from worse conditions such as obesity.

About the Author

Ken Wynn wants to end childhood obesity. For a free mini course with more great tips on childhood obesity factors visit http://childhoodobesitycures.com.

Importance of parent-child communication to combat obesity

2010-11-09T10:54:00.000-08:00

A new research highlights the importance of parent-child communication in the battle against childhood obesity.

ARAMARK Education, a leading provider of school food and nutrition services, surveyed almost 40,000 middle school and high school students across the country. The research revealed that parent-child communication has a significant influence on the nutrition habits of children. ARAMARK found that when parents talk to their children about healthy choices, their interest in healthy food increases dramatically, from 44 percent to 73 percent. The research also showed that with parental involvement children are more likely to read nutrition labels to help them make better food choices, increasing from 27 percent to 63 percent.

The research revealed the critical role parents play in communicating with children about healthy food choices. Researchers concluded less than half (49 percent) of the students said that their parents frequently talk to them about making healthy choices and 39 percent said they wish their parents would make healthier food choices

Could it Be the Cause of Childhood Obesity?

2010-10-31T03:57:00.000-07:00

by ShawnClerk

Their ads are hard to resist. Kids are bombarded with messages targeted specifically to them and studies show that kids who spend 5 or more hours per day watching TV are 60% more likely to be overweight. Fast food is often cited as being unhealthy and fattening; however, is it the food alone which causes obesity? It is true that many fast food chains serve foods that are high in saturated fats like red meat and fried foods, as well as foods that contain large amounts of sodium and processed sugars. Vending machines also contribute to the problem of childhood obesity.

Most parents aren't aware that soft drink vendors pay commissions to schools based on sales of their products. They rake in huge profits so they can afford to give some back to schools that allow their vending machines. It's nothing more than having small decisions in a day-to day basis, which for the most part will make up the solution for the child's healthier diet. Just being aware of these practical steps is the most important step you can take to help your child. Of course there are children who aren't genetically disposed to sports or exercise, but that doesn't mean they can't get enjoyment out of it. Just because your child isn't into traditional sports such as soccer, running or hiking, doesn't mean there isn't some activity that will appeal to them.

Of course there are children who aren't genetically disposed to sports or exercise, but that doesn't mean they can't get enjoyment out of it. Just because your child isn't into traditional sports such as soccer, running or hiking, doesn't mean there isn't some activity that will appeal to them. Having an obese child often results in many other health ailments other than excessive weight gain. Children can obtain asthma, back pains, knee pains, joint problems, sleep apnea, diabetes and depression all from gaining a few extra pounds.

At a recent American Heart Association's annual scientific session held in New Orleans, scientists informed the gathering that many obese kids and teenagers have been tested and the results have shown that their carotid walls are almost same as those of a person who is nearly 30 years older than them. Give rewards when your child eats healthy and does get in exercise by playing outside. Make sure your child knows what these rewards are to motivate this type of positive behavior.

Just as it is with adults you can help to control the level of your child's blood pressure. First you need to watch their diet carefully. Make sure they are eating a lot of fruits and vegetables alongside some lean protein, and avoiding as much salt intake as possible. If you have really young kids, this will be easy. Start them with water and don't give them sugary drinks. They will eventually get exposed as they grow older, but if they are used to water, they will be miles ahead. If your kids are a little older.

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Their ads are hard to resis

Dealing With the Epidemic of Childhood Obesity

2010-10-17T01:16:00.000-07:00

by Allan Lopez

A child that suffers from overweight or obesity is one that should regarded as having a temporary disease, the obesity condition is dangerous for the child heath and has effect on his social life, self esteem and confidence. When you decide that you want to fight, and beat childhood obesity you should think carefully or a plan and a tactic you will use to fight this condition.

The three major keys in losing weight and having a successful diet plan are regular physical activity, performed on a set schedule and without exception the physical activity will encourage the child to get better and hopefully cause him or her to focus on activity rather than on food or the discomforts of the diet.

The next key to fighting childhood obesity is naturally a diet, making a diet plan should be done after advising with a diet professional that has all the tools and information about your child and his or her needs. making a realistic plan that will take a long time to complete you will gradually adapt new eating habits, showing the child that there are different kinds of foods and that making the child conscience of the things they eat and their effect on weight and the body. Increasing the awareness to the effect of different foods is a very important thing since it clearly identifies the cause and effect relationship to the child.

The last key for beating childhood obesity is as important and as natural as the first two, it is slowly and gradually changing the behavior of the child, and sometimes of the whole family, the new behavior patterns can be treated as rules first, make sure you explain why it is not good to eat candies, and more impotently you should make sure that your child knows that from time to time he or she are allowed to make an exception and have a candy, do not delete and block sweets from their lives completely since this usually has the opposite effect on kids.

The behavior change is a major one and if effects all the rest of the keys mentioned here, you should try and set rules in the beginning, if you can have a family meeting and set those rules it will be beneficial for everyone, making the children feel that they are setting these rules, you should encourage your kids to set rules and live by them, when you first start you can also join their activities to show them they are not alone, and from time to time you could explain how important it is to follow the rules and the benefits that are waiting in the end of the road.

A technique I have heard about some time ago uses imagination and positive thinking to encourage obese children to maintain a diet and physical activity routine. The parents have a weekly talk with the child and they go over all the last week events, good and bad, trying to explain what happened and why, not forgetting to compliment the child on his or her achievements. Once the events have been reviewed and points made clear the parent and the child close their eyes and imagine how it would be like in a month or two ahead, with more weight loss and better fitness and daily routine, talk about all the benefits of losing weight, like nicer clothes, better feeling, more energy, social admiration and so on, just make sure that the goals are realistic and can be achieved in a month or two of hard work, when your child achieves this you should mention the talk to him or her and demonstrate how belief and will power has real effect on life.

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Information on hamstring rehabilitation can be found at the Hamstring Injury Recovery site.

Childhood Obesity- A Modern Day Dilemma

2010-10-01T01:14:00.000-07:00

by Joan Stafford

You see it on the playgrounds, at roller rinks, at swimming pools, and in classrooms. Obesity is a modern health dilemma for today's children, who are struggling with weight as never before. It is a difficult problem to combat, given the fact that you want to make sure that your children are receiving sufficient amounts of nutrients in their diets. While some children may outgrow obesity, others carry it with them into their adult lives. Obesity in children can result in feelings of fatigue, worthlessness, and hopelessness. It can also place them at greater risk for diabetes and heart disease. Just how widespread is the problem? The National Institutes of Health has determined that, over the last thirty years, the number of young people with weight problems has increased two fold. Interestingly enough, the problem is affecting children of all ages as well as children from all ethnic groups.

Children who are overweight may not develop socially as fast as their peers. They can become loners, finding it difficult to make friends. They may think that their weight is beyond their control and they may not know what to do in order to attempt to prevent weight gain. In essence, obese children can become our lost generation. The parents of these children may not realize how detrimental obesity is to their children's emotional health. They may consider the obesity just a passing phase and they may not understand the psychological devastation that obesity can cause. They may even dismiss the concerns of their children, hoping that the problem will simply go away.

The causes of childhood obesity can be complex. However, there do appear to be a few identifiable triggers.

For instance, many families now eat on the run because of their many commitments. Parents may not think they have time to prepare nutritious meals for their children, so they rely on fast food and sugary snacks to fill in the gaps. As a result, children end up eating a diet that's rich in fat and sugar but which offers little in the way of nutritional value.

According to the American Obesity Association, one third of parents believe their children's dietary habits are worse than theirs were during their own childhoods. Another key problem is inactivity. Children watch more than a full day's worth of television each week. That's in addition to the hours they devote to their computers. As a result, they're not playing outside as much as children of generations past. Also, many children may feel as if they cannot participate in sports because of their weight. Feeling defeated before they even start, they pass up opportunities to engage in physical activities. It has been shown that children tend to be heavily influenced by advertising.

Unfortunately, many commercials tout foods that can be best classified as unhealthy. Children crave what they see on TV and in movie theaters and they may not realize what these foods will do to their bodies. Luckily, childhood obesity can be successfully conquered. Here are a few tips to help your child overcome a weight problem:

* Encourage your child to take part in sports or dance. If your son or daughter is self-conscious about being a part of a team, exercise with him or her. Take out a ball and shoot a few hoops or turn on the stereo and begin to dance. You may be surprised that, with just a little encouragement, your child will get up and start moving.

* Consider limiting TV time. Research clearly shows that TV time is unproductive time for children and teens. If your children spend less time watching TV, they may spend more time exercising.

* Ban junk food from your home. With a little push, children will become accustomed to eating healthy snacks such as fruit and vegetables.

* Check with your child's pediatrician to see if he or she can recommend some specific weight control strategies. Childhood obesity is a problem, but it is not insurmountable. The greater the interest you show in your child's diet and exercise regimen, the more influence you will have over your child. In time, your child can learn the strategies necessary for a healthy life.

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Want to find out about stop post nasal drip and nasal impetigo? Get tips from the Nasal Problems website.

Childhood Obesity Might Be Linked to Strain of Cold Virus

2010-09-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

At least part of the blame for childhood obesity might be traced to a unexpected cause -- a certain strain of the virus that causes the common cold.

New research at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego shows that youngsters who were infected by adenovirus 36, which causes the common cold and slight gastrointestinal upset, were an average of 50 pounds heavier than children who hadn't been infected by this particular strain.

This study doesn't, however, suggest that people should give up on healthy eating and exercise.

Other studies, done in animals and human adults, have already shown an association between viral infections and obesity, but the exact relationship between those factors still isn't well known.

Childhood Obesity and Nutritional Needs (II)

2010-09-13T01:12:00.000-07:00

by Protica Research

Adding a Supplement to a Child's Diet

If the child's pediatrician agrees with it, adding a protein supplement as either a meal replacement or a between meal snack is beneficial for a number of reasons. First, protein can help the child from feeling overly hungry because it contributes to feelings of satiety. Second, there are so many options that you and your child can find the right kind of protein in the right kind of supplement that will suit everyone's tastes and needs. And finally, there are a number of benefits from the various kinds of protein and protein supplements including muscle building, repair and maintenance. Supplement options include protein shakes, powders, bars and liquid protein supplement shots.

Protein powders include soy, whey, egg and rice proteins. The number of teens who are vegetarians or vegans is fairly high, even among those who are overweight, so if you are planning to suggest adding one of these, make sure that you are choosing the right one for the teen.

Soy is a complete protein, meaning that it has all eight essential amino acids that the body cannot make on its own. Soy and rice protein are both appropriate for vegans and vegetarians. Whey protein is made from a byproduct of cheese production and is not suitable for vegans. Ovo-lacto vegetarians can have both whey and egg protein powder supplements.

A liquid protein supplement shot like Profect by Protica is also a good option for children and teens. It is small and comes in packaging that they might find pretty cool since it looks like a plastic test tube vial. It has only one hundred calories but gives a full 25 grams of protein per serving and comes in flavors that will appeal to children including Blue Raspberry, Grapefruit-Mango, Fresh Citrus Berry and Cool Melon Splash. It also provides 100% of the day's vitamin C and 10% of the day's vitamin B complex, but has zero carbohydrates and zero fats.

Other Nutritional Considerations

Make sure that children are getting all of the nutrients that they need, including calcium. Low fat milk is a great after-exercise drink for children, and gives them calcium as well as 9 grams of protein.

Animal proteins are complete proteins, supplying all of the essential amino acids. In children, there are nine essential amino acids: leucine, isoleucine, valine, threonine, methione, phenylalanine, tryptophan, lysine and histidine.

Plant proteins are not complete because they lack one or more of these essential amino acids. The exception to this rule is soy protein, which is complete. Opting for lower fat versions of either type of protein as well as getting complex carbohydrates instead of simple carbs is better for your entire family, not just the overweight child. One of the best protein food sources from the animal world is turkey breast, which can be used in place of a number of the children's favorite food choices.

Learn substitutions for your children's favorite meals as well as healthier choices for when the family is out to dinner. Don't worry about when your child is out of your sight so much, as long as he is getting healthy foods 80% of the time, the other 20% will not be so damaging. Make sure to boost exercise not only for the one child, but for the whole family as well.

References

Joan Lippert Downsizing the American Child: How to Get Your Kid Healthier and Happier. Heart Insight Magazine. August 2009

Diane E. Papalia, Sally Wendkos Olds and Ruth Duskin Feldman. A Child's World: Infancy Through Adolescence. Eleventh Edition. McGraw-Hill Publishing Company. United States 2008

The US Guidelines on Protein and Diet. The United States Department of Agriculture

About the Author
About Protica Research (http://www.protica.com) Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of dense nutrition in compact forms. Protica manufactures Profect (http://www.profect.com), IsoMetric (http://www.isometric.com), Pediagro (http://www.pediagro.com), Fruitasia (http://www.fruitasia.com) and many other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility. Copyright - Protica

Childhood Obesity and Nutritional Needs (I)

2010-09-05T01:09:00.000-07:00

by Protica Research

One of the most serious and continuing problems that parents of today's children have to deal with is childhood obesity. Not only are children who are overweight or obese for their age group at greater risk for psychological and social development problems, but they are also facing more and more health risks that have long been considered adults-only problems. One in three American children and teens are classified as either overweight or obese. Here are some frightening statistics about children (especially teens) and weight:

- The number of US teens that are overweight tripled from 1980 to 2004 from 5% to 17%.

- US teens are more likely to be overweight or obese than their peers from other countries.

- 47% of 11 year old girls thought they were overweight and were on or thought they should be on a diet. The number of girls age 15 who thought this way was 62%

(Source: Papalia, Olds and Feldman, 2008)

The consequences of these statistics:

- Overweight children ages 7-13 are at an increased risk of heart disease at age 25.

- Children, aged 6 to 11 are twice as likely to have diabetes as children of normal weight.

- Children who watch two to four hours of television are 2.5 times as likely to develop high blood pressure over those who watch less.

(Source: Lippert, 2009)

Healthy Food Needs Not Diets

Before you start a diet for your child, it is important that you work with the pediatrician. A child's needs for calories and nutrients are as important as an adult's. Reducing calories too drastically can lead to serious problems for the child's development not only physically, but mentally as well.

A child still needs to get the right amount of calories, but often needs a tweak on where those calories are coming from. It is often a matter of getting the child up and moving around more throughout the day as well as limiting the time that is spent in front of the television and the computer. Make sure that the child is still getting the right amounts of fats, proteins and carbohydrates for his or her age group. Also, make sure that the child is not obsessing about his or her weight and resist doing the same. Enlist your child's help in choosing better foods, including snacks, and have them help cook dinner. Remember, there are no "bad" foods, and an occasional treat is not a bad thing, as long as there is moderation and exercise. Eventually, most children will have a growth spurt that will leave them a little taller so that the weight they have is more evenly distributed. The pediatrician will give you guidelines for the number of calories and nutrients that your child should have, but a general guideline for protein needs:

Age Group

Protein grams per kg of body weight

Newborn to six months 2.2

Six to twelve months 2.0

One to three years 1.8

Four to six years 1.5

Seven to ten years 1.2

Eleven to fourteen years old 1.0

Fifteen to eighteen years 0.9

Ages nineteen plus 0.8

(Source: US Guidelines on Protein and Diet)

Protein plays a vital role in every cell in the body and must be included in a healthy diet, but sources should be lower in fat whenever possible. Opting for plant proteins and protein supplements can be more healthful for children as well as their parents.
(to be continued)

About the Author
About Protica Research (http://www.protica.com) Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of dense nutrition in compact forms. Protica manufactures Profect (http://www.profect.com), IsoMetric (http://www.isometric.com), Pediagro (http://www.pediagro.com), Fruitasia (http://www.fruitasia.com) and many other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility. Copyright - Protica

Childhood obesity rated biggest health problem for kids

2010-08-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

A new study has revealed that the problem of childhood obesity is getting worse in the United States.

The University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital conducted a National Poll on Children's Health and it showed that adults in the United States rate childhood obesity the biggest health problem for kids.

In May 2010, as many as 2,064 adults were asked to rate 20 different health concerns for children living in their communities.

The top 10 overall health concerns for U.S. children in 2010 and the percentage of adults who rate each as a "big problem" include:

1. Childhood obesity, 38 percent
2. Drug abuse, 30 percent
3. Smoking, 29 percent
4. Internet safety, 25 percent
5. Stress, 24 percent
6. Bullying, 23 percent
7. Teen pregnancy, 23 percent
8. Child abuse and neglect, 21 percent
9. Alcohol abuse, 20 percent
10. Not enough opportunities for physical activity, 20 percent

Adults who rated health concerns as a big problem, were also asked to rate whether these health problems are getting better, staying the same or getting worse.

Fifty-seven percent of adults that rate childhood obesity as a big problem for kids say it is "getting worse."

"The national data about the rates of childhood obesity leveling off were collected in 2007 and 2008. The perspectives we're hearing in this poll in 2010 may reflect new changes in obesity rates seen by adults in communities across the country," said Matthew M. Davis of the U-M Medical School.

"Another possibility is that increasing concerns may reflect the public's growing worries about the health consequences of obesity for children, such as diabetes, heart disease, breathing and sleep problems, and arthritism," he said.

Drug abuse and tobacco use are also of great concern as child health problems in this poll.

"High levels of public concern about drug abuse and tobacco use by kids may reflect the longer-term public health efforts to discourage substance use among youth and the clearly negative consequences of using these substances,"

"After all, the battle against illicit drug use and against tobacco smoking for kids has been active for a couple of generations now. By comparison, the battle against childhood obesity has really just begun," Davis said.

Children's stress moved from 8th on the top 10 list in 2009 to fifth in 2010. Among adults who rate stress as a big health problem for kids, 56 percent believe stress for kids is getting worse.

"Levels of stress among children may relate to economic challenges faced by their families in the national recession and slow recovery," said Davis.

"The fact that stress now rates higher on the list of child health problems is a reminder that most of the problems on the list are behavioral or psychological in nature," he added.

Battling Childhood Obesity through Smart Eating

2010-08-18T01:45:00.000-07:00

by Protica Research

Finally, a positive solution regarding America's difficult and costly campaign to stem childhood obesity is emerging. For the thousands of children and their families who are currently battling with childhood obesity, this good news is long awaited.

Indeed, the risk factors for childhood obesity read like a checklist of ailments that only a generation ago would never have been linked to children and diet: heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and of course, social ridicule and alienation [i]. This latter consequence of childhood obesity -- ridicule and alienation -- has the dual effect of damaging a child both physically and emotionally far beyond childhood, and possibly for the rest of his or her natural life.

For years, medical experts have called for a multi-faceted strategy to address this epidemic. It has been clear that any long-term solution must be fought on four major fronts: physical activity, sedentary behavior, socioeconomic status, and eating habits [ii]. Yet there is room for another pillar; or, at the very least, the identification of another component that must be a part of any lasting solution. This fifth pillar, or undiscovered component, is smart nutritional supplements. Many obese children have been told repeatedly by well-intentioned dieticians that eating smart is the key to overcoming this scarring condition.

This is easier said than done; especially when emotional eating or an unobserved food addiction [1] may fuel adverse eating habits. Yet being told to "eat smart" is oftentimes not enough. Children must be provided with foods that are nutritionally sound, and foods that they actually enjoy eating. It is this latter criterion that most well-intentioned experts and caregivers overlook. This is explained below. Most obese children are neither unable to learn, nor willfully disobedient. Some of these children even have remarkable support from their well-adjusted families who dutifully remove the usual suspects of chips, soft drinks, chocolate bars, and other damaging foods from the home. Yet many of these same children continue to gain weight and march ever closer to the litany of health defects noted above. These children are not sadistic, and they are not attempting to kill themselves through eating; though some do because of the stigma associated with their condition.

Indeed, many obese children are cognitively aware of the danger to which they are subjecting their bodies. Yet they continue to snack away in secret, or binge on foods when they get the chance, thereby undoing whatever minor gains might have been achieved in the previous few days or weeks. The problem is one of food selection. Generally speaking, children of all weights and shapes will not eat something that they do not like. For obese children who have typically had unfettered access to highly stimulating foods such as gravies and sugar-loaded soft drinks, the willpower to eat unpalatable foods is undeveloped. Indeed, the dietician may snack away on carrots and celery while talking to an obese child about the importance of eating smart.

For the obese child, carrots and celery are foreign foods for which there is no known preference. This fifth pillar, or new component, is therefore one that provides obese children with nutritional supplements that they will eat. As stunningly obvious - even axiomatic - as this seems, it has been lost on many experts until recently. Thankfully, as noted above, there is a solution emerging. It is one that meets this demand for tasty, healthy foods. Forward-thinking companies that understand their consumers are creating low-calorie, highly nutritious foods fortified with life-sustaining vitamins and protein.

More importantly: they are tasty, and are often packaged in colorful containers that are "teen-friendly". Companies including MetRx™, Experimental and Applied Sciences™, Protica Research™, and others develop products that fit well within these requirements. Granted, a healthy diet does not start or end with nutritional supplements. A healthy diet employs nutritional supplements to complement and fortify real foods. Indeed, children and families affected by the obesity epidemic in America are cautiously optimistic at this point; after all, they have been promised solutions in the past. However, thanks to the next generation of nutritional supplements, there is an expectation that this optimism will steadily grow with every success story, and every child that recovers from the potentially devastating impact of obesity.

REFERENCES

[i] Source: "The Problem of Overweight in Children and Adolescents". The US Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/calltoaction/fact_adolescents.htm [ii] Source: "Childhood Obesity". American Obesity Association. http://www.obesity.org/subs/childhood/causes.shtml

About the Author
About Protica Research (http://www.protica.com) Founded in 2001, Protica, Inc. is a nutritional research firm specializing in the development of dense nutrition in compact forms. Protica manufactures Profect (http://www.profect.com), IsoMetric (http://www.isometric.com), Pediagro (http://www.pediagro.com), Fruitasia (http://www.fruitasia.com) and many other brands in its GMP-certified, 250,000 square foot facility. Copyright - Protica

American Steps Against Childhood Obesity American Steps Against Childhood Obesity by Bob

2010-08-01T23:42:00.000-07:00

by Bob

Some years back, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) came out with a four-year study entitled "Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among Kids and Adolescents: United States." It revealed that over nine-million Yank kids between the ages of six and nineteen are overweight, approximately three times above it was in 1980.

Youngsters who are obese typically age to be obese, especially when the oldsters of the child are obese as well. The CDC study has helped inspire the Yank individuals to start trying at themselves and their kids, and to take steps so as to fight the growing childhood obesity downside in our nation.

Several nutrition and fitness experts have weighed (no pun intended) in on what they feel wants to be done to curtail this frightening trend of increase in Yank childhood obesity.

One side is to improve college food. Not solely does faculty food have a right away impact, it additionally sends a message to kids. If fatty-foods are being sold, impressionable young youngsters are being taught that eating these types of food is acceptable. An education-establishment ought to be just that, not simply in the classroom however the cafeteria as well. Fixing faculty cafeteria food would help educate children on how unhealthy treats are things that should solely be eaten on occasion.

In that very same vein, another step slowly being taken is improving the health level of food in snack vending machines. The elimination of those vending machines is not the solution, however changing the snacks that are served within them will be. The state of California has already taken steps in this direction, recently passing a bill that prohibits faculties from selling high-sugar liquids out of their drink vending machines.

A 3rd step is the emphasis of physical activity for kids. Most consultants suggest kids participate in an hour of exercise each day at a minimum. Major Yankee establishments, such as the National Soccer League, have initiated movements to help inspire kids to exercise. For example, the NFL runs the NFL Play sixty campaign, that is "designed to tackle childhood obesity by obtaining children active through in-college, once-faculty, and team base programs."

The fight against childhood obesity has gotten support from some stunning sources as well. For example, the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group recently announced they might "improve product labeling by listing calories additional prominently on containers, vending machines and fountain equipment." PepsiCo additionally pledged to list calorie content on the front of its drink vending machines by the top of 2012

With the assistance of schools, sponsors, and the state and federal government, America can be able to not only attack the childhood obesity problems that it currently faces, but defeat them.

About the Author
Bob has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Childhood Obesity changing,you can also check out his latest website about: 5 Gallon Aquarium which reviews and lists the best Aquarium Fish Tank

Prevention or Cure for Childhood Obesity?

2010-07-22T01:11:00.000-07:00

by Bob

Despite the old adage that an oz of prevention is worth a pound of cure, selling prevention has continually been a challenge. Simply ask any insurance salesman. On the opposite hand selling that pound of cure is not any drawback at all. Simply raise any surgeon. Once you gotta have it, you gotta have it. You don't even bother to stop and ask how abundant?

Prevention Yes, But... Now what will this little observation have to try and do with childhood obesity you ask? Well, if you're selling the preventative edition of childhood obesity, it's nearly not possible to induce a child who's currently NOT OBESE to buy in and participate. On the opposite hand, we tend to all recognize the time to beat a drawback is BEFORE it gets a footing, and in this case BEFORE obesity starts to erode a child's self-worth, their quality of life, and their overall performance. When all, you get vaccinated BEFORE you get sick, not after.

Going within the Back Door

Thus for those folks who are advocating a childhood obesity PREVENTION program like Operation Pull Your Own Weight, the query becomes, ""What downside can we address and CURE that simultaneously PREVENTS childhood obesity from occurring, while not ever uttering the poisonous terms "obesity or prevention?" My very own answer is that each one young youngsters, by virtue of being young, lack strength in comparison to adults. You would possibly say that kids forever show a very little strength-envy when it comes to their older and larger adult counterparts.

Being Cool VS Being Uncool With that insight in hand, I suggest that serving to cure a child's natural lack of strength is an straightforward sale to form as a result of "being sturdy" is always cool, whereas "being weak" is always uncool. Let me say this in a little completely different way. In seventeen years of teaching and training, I met lots of children who took pride in "being bad." But I've never met even one boy or girl who took any pride in "being weak" at anything. Have you?

Strength and Lightness

During this light let's talk concerning pull ups, an exercise that's always been related to being robust because such a coffee share of children (people) can do even one rep. The opposite characteristic that's perpetually related to pull ups is "being light."

Suppose back once you were in elementary or high school, did you ever see an overweight child who could do pull ups? On the opposite hand did you ever see a kid capable of doing pull ups who wasn't relatively lightweight? I already recognize your answer as a result of in all my years of teaching and coaching I continually noticed that kids who might do pull ups were never much overweight, and children who were much overweight could never do pull ups.

You've got Never Heard This Before

Currently I am going to switch gears and tell you one thing you've got never heard before. By using a height adjustable pull up bar in combination with a method known as leg assisted pull ups (jumping and pulling at the same time), virtually any kid will learn to do pull ups...particularly if you start them young BEFORE they've had a probability to pick up much excess weight.

Let's Calculate

OK, currently it's time to feature all this up logically and see what conclusions we tend to will draw? For starters if its' true that youngsters who can do pull ups are never obese, and it's also true that with the correct tools virtually any kid will learn to do pull ups, then it's logically irrefutable that nearly any kid can naturally immunize himself against obesity for a lifetime by merely learning and maintaining the flexibility to try and do pull ups for life.

I additionally wish to point out that by serving to youngsters gain strength (be cool) on the pull up bar, you are naturally and simultaneously preventing obesity without ever mentioning the words prevention or obesity. Sound acquainted?

Curing the Prevention Dilemma

The moral of the story is that when it comes to childhood obesity, forget the prevention and go for the strength gaining cure. The youngsters can assume you are cool and you will be undermining obesity at the same time. An easier sale would be laborious to imagine.

About the Author
Bob has been writing articles online for nearly 2 years now. Not only does this author specialize in Childrens Books, you can also check out his latest website about: Freehost24hWhich reviews and lists the best Website Hosting Services

Childhood Obesity-Three Small Changes Make a Big Difference

2010-07-12T02:23:00.000-07:00

by Dr Joe Kosterich

Childhood obesity has been put front and centre by Michelle Obama. An ambitious goal to eliminate childhood obesity in a generation has been made. Whilst this is ambitious, there is an old quote attributed to Michelangelo that it is better to aim too high and miss than to aim too low and hit.

There is no particular reason why this goal cannot be achieved. The "Let's Move" campaign actually is focusing on a range of initiatives. It is getting government agencies coordinated and working in collaboration with business and the media. Sports stars have volunteered to help spread the message.

Success will of course come down to individuals and families making changes and accepting responsibility for what they do. However it has been shown that simple things like repainting crosswalks helps encourage children to walk to school hence providing some exercise. Giving parents useful information about foods and dispelling myths about junk food being cheaper will also help. The support of three major suppliers of school lunches to reduce fat and sugar in their products will help too. A positive approach rather than the usual handwringing will make it far more likely that there will be success.

Health habits start in the home. A new study has demonstrated that little things make a big difference. A study of over 8000 preschool age children showed a 40% lower rate of obesity in families where three simple things were done,

1) The families ate dinner together at least five times a week 2) The children got at least 10.5 hours sleep each night 3) The children watched less than two hours television each day

These three things combined almost halved the rate of obesity. None are difficult and none are expensive. We also know that getting it right in preschool age sets the basis for the school years so this is actually the best time to act.

Meanwhile at the other end of the spectrum a study was released supporting gastric band surgery for teenagers. The study compared weight loss in 25 teenagers on a weight loss regime compared to 25 who had surgery after two years. The faults with this study are numerous including the small numbers and the short length of time. Seven of the teenagers required further surgery. The biggest issue is that a company, which makes the bands, funded the study and worse still two of the authors are on company advisory boards so are not independent.

It is already emerging that there will be long-term complications from gastric banding surgery including kidney stones and brittle bones. Interfering with the bodies absorption of food has major ramifications, most of which have not been thought about because they do not happen straight away. With teenagers who are still developing, the long-term issues are completely unknown.

The best quote on this came from (Australian) AMA Vice President Steve Hambleton who said, "We should not be outsourcing self control to a surgical procedure. It means we are not doing anything about the problem, just treating the symptoms."

I could not have put it better. Nobody is born obese. It comes from actions taken after birth. Hence the individual can change those actions. Support such as that outlined by the First Lady will assist.

Putting the right fuels into your body in the right amounts is a key part of Do It Yourself Health. It is within the power of everyone to do this.

About the Author
Do you want to look and feel better? Get knowledge and tips on ways that you can take charge of your own health from a doctor who actually talks about health. Dr Joe's Do It Yourself Health is your toolbox, complete with instructions on how to improve your health and well being today.

How to Deal with Juvenile Obesity

2010-06-26T08:06:00.000-07:00

by Cheryl Well

The increase in the number of overweight children and teens has been more rapid than that observed in adults. This naturally gives rise to a number of health problems even as a seeming fad for health consciousness among the youth has spurred the creation of various types of health spas and weight loss diet supplement products. Still, studies show the percentage of overweight children and teens is growing annually.

When people consume more calories than they burn, their bodies store the extra calories as fat. Young people as well as adults who are eating too much are affected in this health problem. Roughly 16 to 33 percent of children and teens in the United States are considered obese. Whereas obesity is one of the easiest medical conditions to diagnose, it can be one of the most complex to treat. Younger people are presently developing health problems that used to affect only adults, like high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

Statistical figures reflecting obesity in teens are astounding and something just needs to be done to help these youngsters. In reality, being overweigth is not just an appearance issue but a serious medical concern because it can affect a person's health significantly. People even die from its complications in worst cases. In addition, being an obese teenager is not going to be a pleasant experience at all especially as it causes the youngster to have low self-esteem because of a feeling of unpopularity among peers. It is sad to realize that adults seem to have fallen short of advising the young ones about the simplest weight management methods they can use such as going to the gym, eating less and taking natural weight loss supplements.

A combination of biological, genetic, behavioral and cultural factors are causes of obesity among children. Having one obese parent generates a 50 percent chance that their child will be overweight. If both parents are obese, the child has an 80% chance of being obese himself. Teenager become obese when they take in more calories that their body burns. Due to excessive eating or binging, lack of exercise or physical activity, and genetic factors, obesity in childhood and adolescence happens.

Emotional problems causes obesity in children and teens. Depression, anxiety, and obsessive disorder are common for kids with weight problems. They are also at a greater risk of developing breathing problems. Obese children and adolescents may suffer from certain orthopedic problems.

Recognizing the problem is the first step in helping overweight people. Always keep in mind that proper nutrition and following a regular physical exercise regimen can help in losing weight for a healthier body. With the help of nutritionist and a doctor, a successful weight loss program can be accomplished.

By exercising more, making wiser food choices, and taking the right weight loss supplement product, you can simply help yourself, a friend or a family member to lose weight and be healthier. To be able to decide once and for all that the weight has to go is the most important thing. Otherwise, not the best gym instructor nor the best diet supplements will work.

About the Author
You can help yourself, a friend or a family member lose weight more healthily by simply exercising more and making wiser food choices. You can do this by reading chews 4 health review and be informed. You may even realize that this may be the best home based business that you can possibly have

Childhood Obesity Statistics

2010-06-07T08:05:00.001-07:00

by Scott White

More and more individuals today are heavier than their moms or dads or even their grandparents at what time they were the same age. It might be realized that obesity is a worldwide problem and it is indeed a very serious concern. There are even those who deem it an epidemic.

One may realize that obesity is much more shocking mainly due to the fact that a great number of these obese individuals are children. Childhood obesity statistics is quite staggering. More and more children are being at risk for suffering heart attacks, strokes and diabetes at an earlier age. In order for a viable solution to be made, one has to realize that actual cause of obesity in children first.

But before anything else, here are the exact statistics. 19.6 percent of children aged 6 -11 years old are obese, while children from 12 to 19 years of age have an 18.1 obesity percentage. This numbers came from a major child obesity statistics, however, many independent studies claim that the numbers are actually much more, totaling to more than 25 percent obese children from those age groups. These numbers are already quite large and it is expected to balloon even more. But what is the cause of this staggering data? One of the main reasons for childhood obesity is perhaps the lack of physical activity by these children. It might be noted that children from way back when was also consuming a good amount of cookies and candies, but they can usually be found playing outdoors all the time, running around, playing with peers on playgrounds and the likes. So the activity revolves around physical motions and exercise. But children these days can be found sitting in front of the television or the computer, an activity which requires very little to no physical activity at all.

Another factor that augments child obesity is poor diet. Aside from consuming cookies and candies, these children have diet of junk food and soda. Kids these days love to eat junk and fast food like burgers, fries and sodas. More and more children snack on carbonated beverages and unhealthy food choices as was previously mentioned. They don't eat fruits or vegetables perhaps simply because they're not particularly tasty unlike the junk foods which are quite tasty for these kids.

Another concern is that many families have also forgotten healthy nutrition in general. Most obese children also have obese or at the very least overweight parents. Also, perhaps due to their busy schedules they tend to place themselves and their children in unhealthy diets which the children learn to keep as well. Even though nutrition is taught at school and programs abound at such places, they cannot just reject the food provided for them at home.

But parents have to keep in mind that it is important to keep child obesity statistics down. Obese children aside from having health problems also have to deal with psychological issues that also leads them to eat and consume unhealthy food as well. Their lack of self confidence, stress and depression leads them to do this. This is more so for adolescent children who are more sensitive to their peer's critique of them.

The numbers also show that at least 33.3 percent of children consume fast food daily. But you do have to keep in mind that it is vita that children are provided with healthy snack alternatives. Remember when you were just a kid and your mom insist you eat all your vegetables or you will face consequences, so you finish your veggies even if you don't like it. These days many children aren't even offered vegetables, what's worse is there are times when the children have junk food for dinner as well.

Parents should set an example for their children. It will not be fair if the parents will eat pizza and chips while the children eats broccoli and peas. As the adult one in the house, you should eat what you want your kids to eat. Letting the children see that you are aware of healthy eating habits will make them aware as well. Even if you don't like veggies, let your child realize the importance of eating vegetables, that even if you don't like it, you eat it because it's the right thing to do.

If the society continues on this path of negligence towards healthy habits, then it will not be a surprise if the number of obese children doubles in the coming years. In order for children to learn how to live healthily, adults must take the initiative. Parents need to start changing their lives more so, their eating habits and don't let junk food rule the house and let eating healthy be the main thought throughout your household. It time to ensure a happier, healthier tomorrow for your children.

About the Author
Scott White is a Fitness Expert Personal Trainer; Weight loss Programs

Avoid These Common Mistakes with Obese Children

2010-05-21T08:53:00.000-07:00

by Marlin Rollins

Most parents just feel helpless. They want the best for their kids, but in spite of everything we know about nutrition and exercise, most parents hope for the best and do little about their overweight kids.

My daughter Pari was small at birth, but quickly became a heavy baby. By the age of two, our pediatrician began intimating that Pari was putting on more weight than she needed. Until kindergarten, kids from our neighborhood, her day care or nursery school accepted Pari just as she was, and her size never came up. But when she started school, there was a whole new set of kids, and some would make comments about Pari's size.

Some were innocent observations; some comments were just down right mean. In first grade she was invited to a slumber party of a new friend, and told me she would be uncomfortable changing in front of the other girls because she was fat. This was a shocking moment for me, because now I understood that she felt badly about herself, that she had been giving thought to her size, and comparing herself to other children. What could I do? In my case, there were few resources, but that has changed.

As the author of Seven Steps to Get Your Child's Weight on Track and creator of The Pari Plan, it's clear to me that parents don't understand the pivotal role they play in the solution to a child's weight problem. In helping families across the country beat childhood obesity, I've identified the three crucial mistakes that parents make and the key actions parents must take to get control and start their child on the path to improvement:

Mistake #1: "She's Not Heavy." This is plain denial. Many parents refuse to be honest with themselves about their child's weight. They see the beautiful perfection of their child and turn a blind eye to a problem that is likely causing emotional pain in their child's life lowering the child's self-esteem and getting in the way of their child achieving her true potential.

Action Plan: Learn what a healthy weight for your child should be. Compare where your child is to where your child needs to be. Acknowledge this goal openly.

Mistake #2: "He'll grow out of it." If only parents knew: Studies show that 50% of obese school-aged children will become obese adults. Children WON'T grow out of their weight problem.

Action Plan: You don't need to put your child on a crash diet, but you do need to get them on a healthy path with better food choices and exercise activities that will help them as they grow. Losing weight is not rocket science. But changing the habits and lifestyle of a family in today's busy world is difficult. Especially when the emotional well being of a fragile overweight child is at stake, parents need a plan and they need perseverance.

The good news is that the easiest time to get your child on track is between the ages of 4-12 when they are growing and still totally reliant upon their parents for their food and activity.

Mistake #3: "I've Tried Everything." Most parents simply give up. They may try something but usually not the right things - in the right way. Then they give up.

Action Plan: The secret is that you must put it all together in the correct way and you must commit to being successful. You must acknowledge that you are the only one that can make the difference and you must rally your entire family around your child's success. You can have a healthy child but only if you decide to make it the number one priority in your life.

As a mother of an overweight child, I made all these mistakes and more. I've experienced the helplessness and heartbreak a parent feels watching their child struggle with weight. But there is an important flipside to that pain: The joy of helping your child shed their weight, build their self-esteem and realize the potential you always knew they had.

About the Author
Learn about begonia flowers, strawberry begonia, pruning begonias, begonia care, tuberous begonia , begonia flower and other information at the Gardening Central site.

Reversing the Trend of Childhood Obesity

2010-05-08T01:43:00.000-07:00

by Jenna Gray

First Lady Michelle Obama is leading a national effort to end the childhood obesity epidemic. This is a growing health concern because if current trends continue, this will be the first generation of children who will not be expected to out live their parents.

Parents are urged to help their children learn healthy eating habits and encourage them to stay physically active starting at an early age. If not, they will be at risk for numerous health problems later in life. The excess weight is taxing on their bodies. It gradually damages their bones, joints, lungs, heart, and puts them at risk for diabetes. This can be very damaging for their psychological well being too.

The number of children who are overweight or obese is growing at an alarming rate. The latest figures suggest that as many as one third of youngsters and teens are carrying excess weight. Nearly one quarter of children ages 6 to 11 are overweight, and nearly 20 percent of teens are dealing with obesity.

According to experts, this trend is much easier to reverse if children are taught healthy habits at an early age. By the time they are adults, it is often too late. This is why parents and school administrators are encouraged to help children maintain diets consisting of healthy foods. Teaching them about portion control is also important.

Some people may be concerned that it is not realistic to expect children to give up fast foods and candy. But Mrs. Obama stresses that this effort is not about completely eliminating pizza and burgers from the diets of children and teens. It's about balance. As long as they are eating healthy most of the time, then an occasional meal of burgers and fries will be okay.

One way to get children really interested in eating healthy is to set a good example. Children develop their eating habits by watching their parents. Involve them in the preparation of healthy snacks. Take them grocery shopping. Let them help decide which healthy foods should be included in meals. Find ways to make the foods tasty and visually appealing.

Parents should also watch their own weight, especially mothers. Research suggests that women should lose weight before becoming pregnant. Otherwise they risk passing on their weight problems to their unborn child.

About the Author
Jenna Gray is a writer who does extensive research on health related issues. Click on the link to read about mothers can avoid passing problems with obesity to their children.

Obese Children are Often More Obese Adults

2010-05-01T11:33:00.000-07:00

by Debbie Parkinson

It has been long thought that there is a direct relationship between childhood obesity and one's tendency to carry that obesity into adulthood. Not only are one's eating habits and proclivities established at a young age, but certain physiological changes are established during childhood as well. Both habits and physiological tend to follow a person from childhood into the adult years.

William Dietz, Jr., MD, PhD, Director, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity recently testified before the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Health and Committee on Energy and Commerce. In his testimony he quoted John F. Kennedy as saying "Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future." He went on to further testify on the "tragedy of millions of children lacking . . . proper nutrition". Further he laments the fact that today, improper nutrition, together with a lack of physical activity and extended time spent in front of the television, are fundamental factors for the roughly 12.5 million cases of childhood obesity in the U.S.

He has concluded that three crucial stages can be identified relating to the development of obesity. These three stages are pre-adulthood and span the years preceding. These stages are defined as the prenatal period, childhood between the ages of 5 and 7, and adolescence.

The prenatal stage: Even though additional study is necessary to thoroughly comprehend the relationship involving nutrition throughout gestation and birth weight to the beginning of obesity down the road in life, a number of studies indicate a relationship. For instance, studies have shown that a larger occurrence of adult obesity is present in babies born to diabetic moms who have a tendency to put on an above-average amount of weight throughout pregnancy and have bigger babies. An additional piece of research indicates that babies who are undernourished throughout the first two trimesters in uteri experience an elevated risk of obesity as they get older.

Childhood (ages 5 thru 7): In typical development throughout the initial 12 months of life, an infant's body weight, particularly the amount of fat or adipose tissue, is greater in ratio to the baby's height. Progressively, the weight-to-height ratio diminishes. Subsequently, between 5 thru 7 years of age, children naturally build up their fat stores. Health professionals refer to this phase as adiposity rebound. Several longitudinal studies indicate that children having their adiposity rebound occurring earlier, before the age of 5 1/2 for instance, tend to be fatter and heavier as adolescents and adults. The theory holds that children who experience their adipose rebound earlier than normal grow fatter for an extended period of time.

Adolescence (ages 10 to 13): Further research indicates that upwards of 80 percent of kids who are defined as obese throughout adolescence continue to be obese as adults. Unfortunately girls have an increased risk than boys for becoming and remaining overweight. For that matter, several research trials indicate that upwards of 30 percent of all overweight adult women were overweight as adolescents.

About the Author
Debbie Parkinson is a free lance author reporting on many different topics appealing to a diverse audience. Debbie's articles include themes on health, self-improvement, and enjoyment of the outdoors. Learn about healthy meals outdoors on the Weber Charcoal Grill and in particular the Weber Performer Charcoal Grill.

Psychosocial Factors Of Childhood Obesity

2010-04-22T23:31:00.001-07:00

by Jack Clarke

Interest in the psychosocial context has increased in view of the ever increasing incidence of overweight and obesity in children and adults alike.

Reviewing the information about obesity and the social structure, invariably we find a close relationship between it and socioeconomic status. In girls from poor or low economic status it is common to find higher rates of obesity than children who, according to numerous studies, are more among the upper class.

In our country one in four children are suffering with weight problems, according to one report by the National Health Survey, which means a serious public health problem in the not too distant future will become a topic of national security, since the expenditure that will result having an obese population, is beyond our possibilities both in the familiar and in implementing health policies that target diseases that are generated concurrently by excess weight.

ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHILD OBESITY

Studies conducted among children, reported that obese children are perceived by other children as even less acceptable than children with disabilities. In urban populations such acceptance is still smaller and worse in the case of girls.

You will often see obese children associate their problem with adjectives such as stupid and lazy. Despite this, most are well accepted as friends in their social groups. In the case of the attribute of beauty and feeling unattractive and rejected, it is reported in the studies that they would like to be thin and attractive, a situation that increases as they get older.

Girls in particular feel more rejected, which results in a self-concept and low self-esteem.

Self-esteem, which has to do with the value which they themselves have, is inherently lower in girls than in boys who are not suffering from obesity, in that sense is very important for parents to be vigilant and know how to handle this situation in order to prevent eating disorders, which we know are predominant in the female population.

THE ATTITUDE OF PARENTS AND FAMILY TO OBESITY

Since obesity is a disease that is seen with the naked eye, necessarily impacting on relationships both with family and with people in the vicinity of the patient, so we consider important to mention these findings.

It was noted that there are more dysfunctional families when one of its members are obese, because there are minor faults and major partnerships to solve the problem, which results in an aggressive environment and unsympathetic one. Interestingly, parents have a differential behavior between obese daughters and sons in similar circumstances. Apparently the amount of guilt that is experienced is higher for girls than for boys.

This in itself leads to a higher burden of anxiety among girls, which leads to the use of mechanisms, not always healthy or appropriate, such as isolation, refusal to attend school, depression, aggressiveness, etc. What complicates the picture and becomes a vicious circle between the girl and food.

About the Author
Jack Clarke has been an author and content publisher for the past 12 years. He currently runs several review sites including Rival Ice Cream Maker among many others.

Obese children affected by negative attitudes

2010-04-09T23:05:00.000-07:00

Children suffering from obesity are often victims of societal judgment and assumptions, according to experts presenting today at the American College of Sports Medicine's 14th-annual Health & Fitness Summit & Exposition.

Although negative attitudes toward obese children are often unintentional, they can hinder young people's emotional and physical growth.

"These children can experience a sort of self-fulfilling prophecy," said Heather Chambliss, Ph.D., FACSM, an expert presenting on the topic. "If the child feels unwanted or uncoordinated in sports, he or she can develop a dislike for physical activity. And if eating habits are shamed, an unhealthy relationship with food can easily arise."

To avoid harmful treatment of overweight or obese children, Chambliss and co-presenter Scott Martin, Ph.D., recommend the following strategies:

- Avoid assumptions. "We tend to form immediate opinions about health behaviors when it comes to obesity," Chambliss said. Don't automatically categorize children into the too-little-exercise, too-much-junk-food class. Obesity is a complex condition with causes relating to genetics and physiology as well as behavior.

- Don't make character judgments. Chambliss says obese children are often perceived as lazy, sloppy or even lacking social skills. In reality, they have the same emotional and social needs of all children.

- Put yourself in their shoes. Children shouldn't be ostracized for being different or for potential health issues. Negative bias and comments can be very hurtful.

- Don't publicize the problem. Martin recalls one particular instance in which a physical education coach made jokes about students' heights and weights in front of their classmates. Ridicule can cause negative views about exercise and sports and lead to lower levels of physical activity in the long run.

Martin also encourages parents and educators to think about their behaviors and past responses toward obese children to determine any bias that might be present.

"Examining and reflecting is an important step," he said. "Once a person determines that he or she treats people differently based on weight, adjustments can be made."

Source
American College of Sports Medicine

Extreme obesity affecting more children at younger ages

2010-03-20T01:35:00.000-07:00

Extreme obesity is affecting more children at younger ages, with 12 percent of black teenage girls, 11.2 percent of Hispanic teenage boys, 7.3 percent of boys and 5.5 percent of girls now classified as extremely obese, according to a Kaiser Permanente study of 710,949 children and teens that appears online in the Journal of Pediatrics.

This is the first study to provide a snapshot of the prevalence of extreme obesity in a contemporary cohort of children ages 2 – 19 years from a large racially and ethnically diverse population using the recent 2009 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extreme obesity definition. Previous research was based on recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data and included information on obesity but not extreme obesity.

"Children who are extremely obese may continue to be extremely obese as adults, and all the health problems associated with obesity are in these children's futures. Without major lifestyle changes, these kids face a 10 to 20 years shorter life span and will develop health problems in their twenties that we typically see in 40 - 60 year olds," said study lead author Corinna Koebnick, PhD, a research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Southern California's Department of Research and Evaluation in Pasadena, Calif. "For example, children who are extremely obese are at higher risk for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and joint problems, just to name a few."

Researchers used measured height and weight in electronic health records to conduct a cross-sectional study of 710,949 children ages 2 – 19 years in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California integrated health plan in 2007 and 2008. Children in the study had an average of 2.6 medical visits per year where height and weight were measured.

The study found that 7.3 percent of boys and 5.5 percent of girls were extremely obese, translating into more than 45,000 extremely obese children in this cohort. The percentage of extreme obesity peaked at 10 years in boys and at 12 years in girls. The heaviest children were black teenage girls and Hispanic boys. The percentage of extreme obesity was lowest in Asian-Pacific Islanders and non-Hispanic white children.

According to the recent CDC recommendations, extreme obesity is defined as more than 1.2 times the 95th percentile, or a body mass index (BMI) of more than 35 kilograms/meter squared. Obesity is defined as more than the 95th percentile or a BMI of more than 30 kg/m2. Overweight is defined as more than the 85th percentile or a BMI of more than 25 kg/m2. The BMI is a reliable indicator of body fatness and calculated based on height and weight. For children, BMI percentiles are the most commonly used indicator to assess the size and growth patterns of individual children. The percentile indicates the relative position of the child's BMI number among children of the same sex and age.

"Our focus and concern is all about health and not about appearance. Children who are morbidly obese can do anything they want -- they can be judges, lawyers, doctors -- but the one thing they cannot be is healthy," said study co-author Amy Porter, MD, a Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park pediatrician who leads the Pediatric Weight Management Initiative for Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region.

Most Common Causes of Obesity in Children

2010-03-10T07:40:00.000-08:00

by Phillip Stone

There's something quite sad about seeing a child who is so overweight that they're unable to walk up stairs without breathing hard or are unable to play outside with their friends without stopping to sit for a few minutes. Childhood obesity is a growing problem that is becoming more serious as time goes on, leaving worried parents wondering how to help their children, and children running the risk of developing a multitude of weight-related health problems.

There are a number of factors that can cause childhood obesity and weight problems. One of the biggest causes of the condition is twofold: unhealthy eating habits and lack of physical activity. Children in previous generations had no way to entertain themselves but to be active and to use their imaginations, while children today have video games and television to keep them entertained. Instead of getting physical activity, children are plopping themselves in front of the TV for hours on end. In fact, some studies show that children spend at least four hours a day watching television or playing video games. This is clearly a contributing factor to sedentary lifestyles in children, which is a contributing factor to childhood obesity.

Unhealthy eating patterns are also becoming a problem in today's society, as parents and children are rushing here and there in order to get their daily routines completed. Oftentimes, families are forced to head to the drive-thru to get a quick bite. Eating all this unhealthy fast food is contributing to weight problems as children are not getting proper nutrition, instead filling their bodies with foods that are high in fat, carbs, cholesterol, and sodium. Couple this with a lack of exercise, and it's no wonder that childhood obesity is on the rise.

While weight problems can run in families and some scientists theorize that genetics play a role in obesity, this does not necessarily mean that certain children will be overweight. All kids should be getting proper nutrition, regular exercise, and a good amount of sleep to stay healthy and fit, but particularly children of obese parents. These kids are at a higher risk of becoming overweight or obese themselves, so these healthy lifestyle choices should be introduced early on.

About the Author
To learn more about obesity surgery in New York and gastric bypass in New York, schedule a consultation at a New York bariatric surgery center.

Childhood obesity prevention: Prenatal and infancy period upto age 5 crucial

2010-03-01T11:00:00.000-08:00

Efforts to prevent childhood obesity should begin far earlier than currently thought-perhaps even before birth-especially for minority children, according to a new study that tracked 1,826 women from pregnancy through their children's first five years of life.

Most obesity prevention programs-including the national initiative recently launched by First Lady Michelle Obama-target kids age 8 and older. Scientists at the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute's Department of Population Medicine, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School, now say that factors that place children at higher risk for obesity begin at infancy, and in some cases, during pregnancy. Their research also suggests that risk factors such as poor feeding practices, insufficient sleep and televisions in bedrooms are more prevalent among minority children than white children.

"This early life period-prenatal, infancy, to age 5-is a key period for childhood obesity prevention, especially for minority children," says Elsie Taveras, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of population medicine at Harvard Medical School, as well as the director of the One Step Ahead Program at Children's Hospital Boston. "Almost every single risk factor in that period before age 2, including in the prenatal period, was disproportionately higher among minority children."

For the study, which appears online March 1 in the journal Pediatrics, researchers interviewed 1,343 white, 355 black and 128 Hispanic pregnant women at the end of the first and second trimesters, in the first few days following delivery, and when the children were 6 months and 3 years of age. The women also completed questionnaires when the children were 1, 2 and 4 years old.

When compared to Caucasian women, the researchers found that minority women were more likely to be overweight when they became pregnant and Hispanic women had a higher rate of gestational diabetes, both risk factors for childhood obesity. Although the prevalence of two other risk factors-smoking and depression-during pregnancy was higher among African-American and Hispanic women, those rates dropped considerably when the researchers adjusted for socioeconomic status, suggesting that at least those two risk factors may be impacted by income and education levels.

When researchers looked at other risk factors during children's first five years, they found that African-American and Hispanic infants are more likely than their Caucasian counterparts to be born small, gain excess weight after birth, begin eating solid foods before 4 months of age and sleep less. During their preschool years, the study suggests, minority children eat more fast food, drink more sugar-sweetened beverages and are more likely to have televisions in their rooms than Caucasian children.

One commonly held theory is that the presence of these and other risk factors is caused by limited access to health care, poverty and low educational levels. However, when Taveras and her colleagues adjusted for socioeconomic status, they found that the prevalence of many of the risk factors remained the same.

More likely, Taveras says, the risk factors stem from behaviors and habits passed from generation to generation or that may be culturally embedded. "For a lot of patients I see in my clinic, it's intergenerational-for example, the grandmother in the home is influencing how her daughter feeds her own child." That's especially true when it comes to at what age mothers begin giving their infants solid food or when the mothers decide to stop breastfeeding, Taveras says.

"Sometimes trying to tackle those intergenerational influences can be very difficult, but actually, it's promising that some of the areas where we did find disparities are modifiable," Taveras notes. "Anyone who works with families of young children, including pediatricians and child care providers, can work on these issues."

The far more difficult task would be to address problems that are related to socioeconomic status. In this study, that didn't play as large a role because participants had access to good prenatal and pediatric care for their children and were well-educated.

"We found these striking disparities even in this population, where we had racial and ethnic minority families who were of relatively higher education and income," she says. "Imagine what the disparity would be in a population that's of lower socioeconomic status."

That's a question Taveras plans to tackle next. The goal now is to look at other novel risk factors that might be more common among minority populations-including those that will likely be tied to income and education.

Childhood obesity: Strongest predictor of premature death

2010-02-16T10:05:00.000-08:00

In a study now being published in The New England Journal of Medicine, Associate Professor Paul Franks of Umeå University in Sweden, in collaboration with researchers in the US, shows how childhood obesity, together with other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, affects premature death.

The researchers studied 4,857 children from the indigenous Indian population in the US, born between 1945 and 1984. All underwent detailed medical examinations, including measurement of body fat (BMI), cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar. The children were then followed up for an average of 24 years of their continuing lives, during which time further parameters were monitored, as were any deaths in the group.

In this group, 559 individuals (11.5%) died before the age of 55, 166 of them from natural causes. The most common natural causes of death were alcohol-related liver disease and cardiovascular disease. Among the four risk factors that were monitored in the study, childhood obesity turned out to be the strongest predictor of premature death from disease. The 1,214 most overweight children in the group (the upper quarter) had a mortality frequency that was more than twice as high (230%) of that of the leanest quarter of those studied.

In a similar manner, high blood sugar was shown to elevate the frequency of death by 73%, and high blood pressure in the childhood years raised the risk by 53%. These two risk factors were almost entirely associated with the degree of obesity. On the other hand, the scientists found no measurable effects on mortality from high cholesterol values in childhood. All children in the group were diabetes free when the study commenced, but nearly 600 of them developed diabetes during the follow-up period. However, this fact could not explain the connection between childhood obesity and premature death.

This is the first study of its kind and is especially interesting since the group under study, as children as early as the 1940s, had an equally high level of obesity as many children today. The proportion of overweight children is on the rise all over the world, and the authors conclude that measure to increase physical activity, improve food habits, and keep families together should receive high priority during early childhood.

Researchers investigate risk factors for childhood obesity

2010-02-11T10:53:00.000-08:00

Both genetics and parents who comfort their infants with food are the focus of a study funded for $1 million by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestion and Kidney Disease investigating risk factors for childhood obesity. The grant is part of the National Institutes of Health American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding.

"When the infant cries, parents typically have a set of soothing techniques they'll use to comfort their child -- if one doesn't work, they move to the next -- and somewhere on that list is feeding," said Cynthia Stifter, professor of human development and family studies and principal investigator on the project. "It may be, with some children, that using food as a means of soothing distress promotes the association of food with emotional comfort, a characteristic of emotional eaters that is associated with adult obesity."

One goal of Stifter's study is to provide a detailed description of how and when parents use feeding to soothe infants and its relation to weight gain in infancy. Rapid weight gain in infancy has been linked to childhood obesity.

"There has been much speculation about the role of food in parent soothing of infant distress, but there is no research," said Stifter. "What is known is that food, especially that containing sugar, has an immediate effect on infant distress and that many middle-income and lower-income mothers endorse using food to soothe an infant's distress."

To see how parents respond to their infants' distress, researchers will go with families to routine doctor appointments where infants receive vaccinations. These immunizations commonly cause distress. The researchers will also keep track of children's rate of weight gain and parents will complete a "daily diary," at five minute intervals for three days, recording whether their child fussed, cried, slept, was content or was fed. Parents will also participate in a number of laboratory visits to assess the infants' emotional reactivity and regulation, and a variety of interviews including one conducted by Penn State's Diet Assessment Center, which will examine the food environment -- meal location, the context in which food is eaten -- whether the child was crying or fell asleep after eating and child feeding practices -- whether food was offered to soothe the child.

Stifter will also look at the brain's natural reward system, which releases dopamine into the brain, producing a feeling of pleasure.

"Dopamine basically makes you want more of something," says Stifter.

Dopamine in the brain is associated with nicotine, alcohol and other addictions. Stifter and her colleagues will consider food as the object of an addiction for certain individuals. They will draw upon previous research pinpointing a set of genes that determine a person's dopamine system activity. Certain individuals may be genetically predisposed to be more sensitive to their brain's reward system.

"We are hypothesizing that the parenting practice of feeding to soothe, or the use of food to soothe infant distress not related to hunger, may interfere with the development of the ability to read internal cues of hunger and fullness, which, in certain children with sensitive dopamine systems, may lead to increased energy intake, rapid weight gain in infancy, and subsequent childhood obesity," said Stifter.

No previous studies have examined parent feeding style in infancy and genetics as precursors to childhood obesity.

Help your Child Fight Childhood Obesity

2010-02-06T07:38:00.000-08:00

by sharonsky

Halloween, slumber parties, birthdays - sometimes, it seems like childhood is a single major food fest. It's hard to deprive your youngster with particular delicacies and delights when all her friends are having a grand feast.

Childhood obesity is a condition where excess body fat negatively affects a child's health or wellbeing. Childhood obesity is often the result of an interplay between many genetic and environmental factors. Childhood obesity is a serious medical condition that affects children and adolescents.

Childhood obesity is particularly troubling because the extra pounds often start kids on the path to health problems that were once confined to adults, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Childhood obesity is the leading cause of pediatric hypertension along with increasing the risk factor of a child coming down with diabetes and heart disease.

For your greater element in the population, genetic materials may establish the lower optimum values of people's weight, but individuals themselves establish the higher optimum values by their foods selections. In addition, since most children cannot simply set the limits and select the foodstuff that they should eat, it is the duty in the dad and mom to set the limits.

You do not know the way to do it? Here are some tips that should assist you to keep track of your child's foods and consuming regimen and assist him fight childhood obesity.

1. Happy Halloween!

As the only festival dedicated nearly totally to overeating on "sugar-laden treats," Halloween holds an extraordinary place in hell for most parents dealing with childhood weight problems.

This can understandably be a very tough time for your child to get by, but you are able to make it simpler. Try focusing within the actual spirit from the season and make a special haunted house for that children, or let them have a "spooktacular" party with ghost stories, rubber spiders, and the old "spaghetti intestines and grape eyeballs" game.

For younger youngsters, a costume celebration with pumpkin painting and other activities is continually fun. The crucial thing is that you simply shun away your sorts from any signs of sugary sweets.

2. Overnight trips

The first solo sleepover can be nerve-wracking for both you along with the host dad and mom. Kids old enough for slumber parties and overnight trips are typically at least starting to manage some of their own meals and diet regimen, which assists.

Invest some time with the parents in advance from the event to give them a briefing on what your baby could potentially require, and make yourself offered via phone for any questions they may well have.

Offer them with healthy snacks they can consume and give them nutritious to cook.

3. Calorie-conscious kiddos

Its critical to train your kid about the kinds of foods that they are expected to consume. Splurge some time teaching your kid the comparative calorie substance. That could make your child make greater meals alternatives.

Its much better to teach them early how to read foodstuff labels to support boost their foodstuff awareness.

4. Snack on the best meals

Infants are incredibly vulnerable to snacks; hence, it would be tough to eliminate them. The only best way to prevent childhood obesity is to permit them to snack on the best meals. Give them some apples rather than a bar of chocolates.

Maintain in mind that consuming is a habit. If your children's eating regimen has been accustomed to balanced eating from the very commence, they will grow healthful and strong.

Indeed, fighting childhood obesity isn't a difficulty. It really is just inside the way parents show their youngsters the right stuffs to eat.

About the Author
How To Start A Great Easy Diet For Teens...In Less Than 3 Minutes...Click Here

Surgeon General's report lays out recommendations to address childhood obesity

2010-01-30T11:06:00.001-08:00

The Atlanta Journal Constitution: "As many as one in three children are overweight or obese, according to a new report" released yesterday by U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin. The report included various recommendations including: "Requiring students from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 to take physical education, ... child care providers to offer at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day ... [and] schools to develop comprehensive wellness plans that include policies to offer kids more nutritious lunches."

First Lady Michelle Obama spoke at an event marking the report's release, saying that "many schools have reduced PE classes, recess and other activities because of budget cuts. At the same time, the recession has caused many cash-strapped families to forgo healthier foods in favor of cheaper, less nutritious meals." Additionally, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius noted the United States "spends nearly $150 billion on obesity-related health issues -- more than it spends on treating cancer" (Keefe, 1/28).

Most parents don't realize their 4 or 5 year-olds are overweight or obese

2010-01-28T10:30:00.000-08:00

Half of the mothers who took part in a study thought that their obese four or five year-old was normal weight, as did 39 per cent of the fathers, according to the February issue of Acta Paediatrica.

When it came to overweight children, 75 per cent of mothers and 77 per cent of fathers thought that their child was normal weight.

More than 800 parents of 439 children took part in the study, carried out by researchers from the University Medical Centre Groningen in The Netherlands. Five per cent of the children were overweight, four were obese and the rest were normal weight.

"As well as asking them to provide information on their child's height and weight, they were also asked to provide information on their own vital statistics" says Professor Pieter Sauer from the Department of Paediatrics.

"We used this to compare the parents' assessment of their children with their own weight to see if there was any correlation. Data on the child and both parents was provided in 397 cases."

The study showed that:

Mothers and fathers of overweight and obese children were significantly heavier than the parents of normal weight children.

Parents were more aware of their own weight. 83 per cent of the overweight mothers and 78 per cent fathers realised that they were too heavy, as did 98 per cent of the obese mothers and 96 per cent of the obese fathers.

When asked to choose their child's body shape from seven different sketches, 97 per cent of parents with normal weight children chose a lighter sketch than the data they provided indicated.

The same was true of 95 per cent of the parents of overweight children and 62 per cent of the parents of obese children.

Parents of normal weight children tended to think their child was one sketch slimmer than their Body Mass Index (BMI) indicated and parents of obese children often chose sketches that were three slimmer.

Most of the parents did not worry about their child's weight, but the mothers of obese children were more likely to be concerned than the mothers of normal weight children (44 per cent versus seven per cent).

Parents of overweight and obese children did not think their children were less active than others and 94 per cent felt they could influence their child's food choices and eating habits.

Approximately four out of five parents said they would want to receive information or guidance if their child was overweight, regardless of how they viewed their child's current weight.

"It's estimated that 10 per cent of children in The Netherlands are overweight, compared with 20 per cent in the USA" says Professor Sauer. "However, public perception of what is a normal weight has shifted upwards because more people are overweight or obese.

"Overweight children are very likely to become overweight teenagers and adults, so intervening when they are aged between three and five could prevent weight problems later in life.

"It is vital that parents are aware of their children's weight if we are to prevent them becoming obese in later life.

"The fact that the parents in our study perceived their children to be lighter than their BMI indicated is cause for concern.

"Our findings point to the need for health education programmes that encourage parents to recognise what is a normal healthy weight for their children and work with health professionals to tackle any weight problems."

Tips to combat childhood obesity

2010-01-24T10:27:00.000-08:00

You've heard the alarming statistic before: one-third of U.S. children and teens are overweight or obese, increasing their risk of developing health problems such as diabetes.

But what can the typical parent do to prevent childhood obesity?

Cindy Cunningham, a nutritionist at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has a few tips that can help a child stay healthy.

First, help babies avoid weight issues from the start of their lives.
"Even people with a genetic tendency to be overweight can avoid excessive weight gain with good nutrition and exercise. Start with breastfeeding and introduce solid foods when the baby is developmentally ready - around four to six months of age," says Ms. Cunningham. "Learn to recognize your child's hunger signs and don't use food as a pacifier."

Other tips include:
•Keep portions small and allow children to get a second helping if they're still hungry.
•Keep the healthy food and snack options, such as fruit, stocked in the kitchen.
•Don't give up on offering healthy foods, as it might take several tries before a child will accept.
•Use low-calorie substitutes when cooking meals, such as low-fat cheese and nonfat milk.
•Encourage children to get exercise through physical activity.

Helping Your Child through Childhood Obesity

2010-01-17T08:52:00.000-08:00

by Brent Boyd

A child that suffers from overweight or obesity is one that should regarded as having a temporary disease, the obesity condition is dangerous for the child heath and has effect on his social life, self esteem and confidence. When you decide that you want to fight, and beat childhood obesity you should think carefully or a plan and a tactic you will use to fight this condition.

The three major keys in losing weight and having a successful diet plan are regular physical activity, performed on a set schedule and without exception the physical activity will encourage the child to get better and hopefully cause him or her to focus on activity rather than on food or the discomforts of the diet.

The next key to fighting childhood obesity is naturally a diet, making a diet plan should be done after advising with a diet professional that has all the tools and information about your child and his or her needs. making a realistic plan that will take a long time to complete you will gradually adapt new eating habits, showing the child that there are different kinds of foods and that making the child conscience of the things they eat and their effect on weight and the body. Increasing the awareness to the effect of different foods is a very important thing since it clearly identifies the cause and effect relationship to the child.

The last key for beating childhood obesity is as important and as natural as the first two, it is slowly and gradually changing the behavior of the child, and sometimes of the whole family, the new behavior patterns can be treated as rules first, make sure you explain why it is not good to eat candies, and more impotently you should make sure that your child knows that from time to time he or she are allowed to make an exception and have a candy, do not delete and block sweets from their lives completely since this usually has the opposite effect on kids.

The behavior change is a major one and if effects all the rest of the keys mentioned here, you should try and set rules in the beginning, if you can have a family meeting and set those rules it will be beneficial for everyone, making the children feel that they are setting these rules, you should encourage your kids to set rules and live by them, when you first start you can also join their activities to show them they are not alone, and from time to time you could explain how important it is to follow the rules and the benefits that are waiting in the end of the road.

A technique I have heard about some time ago uses imagination and positive thinking to encourage obese children to maintain a diet and physical activity routine. The parents have a weekly talk with the child and they go over all the last week events, good and bad, trying to explain what happened and why, not forgetting to compliment the child on his or her achievements. Once the events have been reviewed and points made clear the parent and the child close their eyes and imagine how it would be like in a month or two ahead, with more weight loss and better fitness and daily routine, talk about all the benefits of losing weight, like nicer clothes, better feeling, more energy, social admiration and so on, just make sure that the goals are realistic and can be achieved in a month or two of hard work, when your child achieves this you should mention the talk to him or her and demonstrate how belief and will power has real effect on life.

About the Author
Want to find out about throat cyst and throat herpes? Get tips from the Throat Problems website.

Severe Childhood Obesity Linked To Missing DNA

2010-01-09T10:16:00.000-08:00

Researchers in the UK have linked cases of severe childhood obesity to missing DNA that runs in families, whereby members missing the vital genetic chunk are severely obese from a young age, have a strong drive to eat and put on weight very easily; the missing DNA, called SH2B1, is located on chromosome 16 and plays an important role in regulating weight and blood sugar.

The finding has implications for the diagnosis and care of severely obese children, whose condition may be misattributed to abuse, said the researchers.

The study, thought to be the first to show this kind of genetic deletion can cause obesity, is the work of Dr Sadaf Farooqi from the University of Cambridge and Dr Matt Hurles from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, and colleagues, and was published online in the journal Nature on 6 December.

Obesity is on the rise and has become a major public health concern all over the world. Although the increase in the last 30 years is most likely driven by environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle, our genes also play an important part, for instance in determining why some of us are more likely to put on weight than others.

For the study, which was funded by the Wellcome Trust, Farooqi, Hurles and colleagues scanned the entire genomes of 300 severely obese children for mutations in copy number variants (CNVs), large segments of DNA that are either copied or missing in our genes, and which scientists suggest play a vital role in the development of genetic diseases.

They compared them to the genome information of over 7,000 controls, apparently healthy volunteers from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2.

The results showed that the children with severe obesity had some CNVs that were different to the controls. The researchers wrote that:

"We identified several rare copy number variants that were recurrent in patients but absent or at much lower prevalence in controls."

Farooqi told the media:

"We found that part of chromosome 16 can be deleted in some families, and that people with this deletion have severe obesity from a young age."

"Our results suggest that one particular gene on chromosome 16 called SH2B1 plays a key role in regulating weight and also in handling blood sugar levels. People with deletions involving this gene had a strong drive to eat and gained weight very easily," he added.

Hurles said:

"This is the first evidence that copy number variants have been linked to a metabolic condition such as obesity. They are already known to cause other disorders such as autism and learning difficulties."

The finding has implications for the diagnosis and social care of severely obese children, whose condition may incorrectly be attributed to abuse by their parents or carers.

For instance, some of the children in the study had been placed on the Social Services "at risk" register because it was assumed that their parents were deliberately overfeeding them: they are now no longer on the register, according to a press statement from the University of Cambridge.

Farooqi said that their findings show that severe obesity is a "serious medical issue that deserves scientific investigation".

"It adds to the growing weight of evidence that a wide range of genetic variants can produce a strong drive to eat," he added, explaining that they hoped this discovery will change "attitudes and practices amongst those with professional responsibility for the health and well-being of children".

Type 2 diabetes gene predisposes children to obesity

2009-12-07T10:12:00.001-08:00

Pediatric researchers have found that a gene already implicated in the development of type 2 diabetes in adults also raises the risk of being overweight during childhood. The finding sheds light on the genetic origins of diabetes and may present an avenue for developing drugs to counteract the disease, which has been on the upswing in childhood and adolescence.

Researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine published the study Nov. 23 in the online version of the journal Diabetes.

"It has been a bit of a mystery to scientists how or even if these adult diabetes genes function during childhood," said study leader Struan F.A. Grant, Ph.D., a researcher and associate director of the Center for Applied Genomics of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "This finding suggests that there may be genetic activity during childhood that lays the foundation for the later development of type 2 diabetes."

Type 2 diabetes occurs either when the pancreas produces too little insulin, or when the body cannot efficiently use the insulin that is produced because the cells have become resistant. Formerly called adult-onset diabetes and still most common in adults, type 2 diabetes has been increasing sharply among children and teenagers.

Grant and study co-leader Hakon Hakonarson, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Center for Applied Genomics at Children's Hospital, investigated 20 gene variants, known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), previously reported to be associated with type 2 diabetes. The researchers drew on a cohort of nearly 7,200 Caucasian children, aged 2 to 18 years, in an ongoing genome-wide association study of childhood obesity at Children's Hospital. Dividing the cohort randomly in half allowed the team to follow their discovery study with a replication study.

Researchers continue to unravel the complicated role of different diabetes-related genes in influencing body weight toward both lower and higher ends of the scale. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood is often influenced by factors in the first year of life, including lower birth weight, as well as by higher body mass index (BMI) during childhood. Obesity is a well-known risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

A previous study earlier this year by the same study team found that another type 2 diabetes gene, CDKAL1, affects fetal growth and increases the likelihood that a baby will be underweight at birth.

The current study found that the gene HHEX-IDE does not affect birth weight, but makes it more likely that a child will become obese during childhood. The gene does not appear to predispose to obesity in adults, although by contributing to childhood obesity, it may set the stage for type 2 diabetes in adulthood.

Grant cautioned that HHEX-IDE accounts for only a small proportion of the genetic contribution to the risk of type 2 diabetes, so many other gene variants remain to be discovered. However, he adds, HHEX-IDE may represent an important underpinning of the disease. "Previously we thought that this gene affects insulin production during adulthood, but we now see that it may play an early role in influencing insulin resistance through its impact on body size during childhood," said Grant. "One implication is that if we can develop medicines to target specific biological pathways in childhood, we may be able to prevent diabetes from developing later in life."

Overweight children may develop back pain and spinal abnormalities

2009-12-01T10:38:00.000-08:00

Being overweight as a child could lead to early degeneration in the spine, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

"This is the first study to show an association between increased body mass index (BMI) and disc abnormalities in children," said the study's lead author, Judah G. Burns, M.D., fellow in diagnostic neuroradiology at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York City.

In this retrospective study, Dr. Burns and colleagues reviewed MR images of the spines of 188 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 20 who complained of back pain and were imaged at the hospital over a four-year period. Trauma and other conditions that would predispose children to back pain were eliminated from the study.

The images revealed that 98 (52.1 percent) of the patients had some abnormality in the lower, or lumbar, spine. Most of those abnormalities occurred within the discs, which are sponge-like cushions in between the bones of the spine. Disc disease occurs when a bulging or ruptured disc presses on nerves, causing pain or weakness.

"In children, back pain is usually attributed to muscle spasm or sprain," Dr. Burns said. "It is assumed that disc disease does not occur in children, but my experience says otherwise."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 percent of U.S. children (age 6 – 11) and 18 percent of U.S. adolescents (age 12 -19) are overweight. BMI, a mathematical ratio of body weight and height, is a widely used measurement for obesity. Lower BMI is associated with being underweight or a healthy body size; higher BMI scores are associated with being overweight or obese. Children above the 85th percentile are generally classified as overweight or at risk of being overweight.

The researchers were able to determine an age-adjusted BMI for 106 of the total 188 patients. Fifty-four had BMI greater than the 75th percentile for age. Thirty-seven (68.5 percent) of these children showed abnormal findings on their spine MRI. Fifty-two patients fell into the lowest three quartiles. Only 18 (34.6 percent) of the children at or below a healthy weight had an abnormal MRI of the spine.

"We observed a trend toward increased spine abnormality with higher BMI," Dr. Burns said. "These results demonstrate a strong relationship between increased BMI in the pediatric population and the incidence of lumbar disc disease."

According to Dr. Burns, data revealed in the study could signal a significant public health problem given the health costs of back pain in the U.S.

"Back pain causes significant morbidity in adults, affecting quality of life and the ability to be productive," he said.

Researchers awarded grant to find effective methods for childhood obesity prevention

2009-11-24T09:26:00.000-08:00

Childhood obesity is on the rise, and with it comes an increased risk for developing health problems such as type 2 diabetes. The best way to reduce the risk of serious weight-related health issues such as diabetes is to eat healthy and increase physical activity.

Researchers at Geisinger Health System's Henry Hood Center for Health Research and the University of Pennsylvania have been awarded a grant by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to find effective methods to prevent and treat childhood obesity in primary care settings for children ages 4 to 8 who are in the 85th percentile or higher body mass index (BMI). BMI is a weight for height category based on a child's age and sex. Children with BMI above the 85th percentile are more likely to develop lifelong weight-related health problems.

Families in Geisinger's Garden Gang study learn ways to eat more vegetables and fruits, decrease high-fat/high-sugar food and beverage intake, and increase physical activity. The goal of the study is to teach healthy lifestyles for children to maintain weight as they grow to bring the BMI below the 85th percentile.

According to Margaret Rukstalis, M.D., lead clinical researcher for the study, families with children between the ages of 4 to 8 who don't eat their fruits and vegetables and have a BMI of 85 percent or more qualify to participate. The study teaches kids and parents how to take a positive approach as they make healthy lifestyle modifications. Researchers will examine the effectiveness of educational handouts vs. a more intensive program.

"Finding an effective way to change behaviors is key," said Dr. Rukstalis.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reports the prevalence of children who are obese has doubled over the past two decades. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported that 31.9 percent of children and adolescents were overweight (BMI at or above the 85th percentile) and 16.3 percent were obese (BMI at or above 95th percentile).

"This is the first time a study like this will be done in the primary care setting. Children from rural areas are particularly at risk for being overweight and obese, so this is a very relevant study for kids in our area, especially because an overweight or obese child has a higher likelihood of chronic medical problems and adult obesity," said Dr. Rukstalis. "Participants benefit because they receive state-of-the-art, evidence-based prevention and treatments while also giving back to science."

Researchers working on fun way to combat childhood obesity

2009-11-16T08:29:00.000-08:00

Researchers are working to find effective, fun filled methods to prevent childhood obesity, which could bring on an increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes.

Researchers at Geisinger Health System's Henry Hood Centre for Health Research and University of Pennsylvania are trying to find ways to prevent obesity in children aged four to eight years.

Children with BMI above the 85 percentile are more likely to develop lifelong weight-related health problems. BMI is a weight to height ratio based on a child's age and sex.

The goal of the study is to teach healthy lifestyles for children to maintain weight as they grow to bring the BMI down to acceptable levels.

Margaret Rukstalis, lead clinical researcher for the study, says "finding an effective way to change behaviours is key".

The American Academy of Paediatrics reports the prevalence of children who are obese has doubled over the past two decades, says a Geisinger Health release.

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported that 31.9 percent of children and adolescents were overweight and 16.3 percent in the US were obese.

What You Should Know About Childhood Obesity

2009-11-07T01:08:00.000-08:00

by Mike Selvon

You may have heard there is an "obesity epidemic" in America that is afflicting our children. Perhaps you're wondering if your own child is average, overweight or obese. One way to determine childhood obesity is to measure your child's BMI (body mass index), which looks at their weight in relation to their height. The BMI index is a non-invasive screening tool that can be performed simply by taking some measurements and looking up the average at Dnpabmi.

Some say the alarming childhood obesity rate has been caused by a shift in our culture from an active society to a more sedentary society. Compared to the children of the seventies, today's children are more sedentary, spending three hours per day watching TV, movies or playing video games, which has decreased the amount of time children and teens spend actively outdoors.

Television also encourages increased food consumption and tempts children to make unhealthy food choices through exposure to advertisements. Since 1991, the percentage of students' participation in daily physical education during school has decreased from 42% to 28%. The importance of a healthy diet for children cannot be overstated, nor can the need for daily physical activity, since studies show the patterns a child develops early in life tend to remain with him or her for life.

If left untreated, childhood obesity can lead to a number of problems, both physical and psychosocial. Physically, 70% of obese 5 to 17-year-olds have at least one cardiovascular disease risk factor already, whether it is high blood pressure, high cholesterol or abnormal glucose tolerance, and 25% have at least two risk factors.

Obesity is also the leading cause of type 2 diabetes, as 60% of diabetics are also overweight. More immediate health problems include sleep apnea, hepatic steatosis (fatty degeneration of the liver), kidney failure and asthma. Psychologically, obese adolescents become the targets of social stigmatization, which can leave lasting emotional scars that may never fully heal.

There are many ways to prevent childhood obesity in your home. While you certainly don't want to place your child on a restrictive diet that may interfere with normal growth and development, planning meals with balanced calories can help ensure your child gets an appropriate amount of nutrition. Be sure to encourage your child's healthy eating habits by providing vegetables, fruits, whole-grain foods, low-fat and fat-free dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, proper portion sizes and plenty of water. Limit sugar-sweetened beverages, sugar and fatty foods in the house as much as possible.

About the Author
Mike Selvon has some informative articles for the creative mind. Find out more about the type childhood obesity at his resourceful site. We appreciate your feedback at our obesity causes blog.

Childhood obesity warning over clock change

2009-10-24T22:59:00.000-07:00

The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is encouraging parents to ensure children are physically active to overcome problems with sleeplessness.

A lack of sleep is linked to increased hunger in both adults and children and this can increase appetite and body weight.

Boys develop closer bonds with Bob the Builder than with parentsPhysiotherapists said regular exercise is important to burn calories as well has promote good quality sleep.

Televisions, computers and mobile phones in a child's bedroom all affect sleep, they said, and research has shown that for every hour a child is sitting – whether watching TV or reading a book during the day – it takes an extra three minutes for them to get to sleep.

Sammy Margo, chartered physiotherapist, author of The Good Sleep Guide and the forthcoming Good Sleep Guide for Kids said: "Many children appear to be overstimulated, overworked and overcommitted and at the same time under-exercised.

"All these factors affect sleep, which in turn is a factor in the worrying rates of childhood obesity in the UK. Making sure your child exercises for at least an hour a day, giving them healthy food, creating a restful sleeping environment and a bedtime ritual means that your child will be ready to sleep once they’ve been tucked in and it’s time to turn out the light."

Around one third of children in Britain are overweight or obese and only one fifth of parents know children should be physically active for one hour a day.

Better health system needed to identify and manage childhood obesity

2009-10-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

A new study has revealed GPs and pediatricians believe their capacity to effectively identify and manage childhood obesity is limited, due to barriers such as time constraints. 65 per cent of the doctors also perceived a shortfall in public sector dietitians to assist them in managing overweight and obese children, according to the study in Nutrition & Dietetics, published by Wiley-Blackwell.

Forty GPs and three pediatricians from New South Wales were interviewed about their capacity, knowledge, skill and confidence in managing overweight and obese children.

The doctors felt the health system needed to better support them in identifying and managing obesity in children - and 62 per cent were unaware of local services provided by dietitians.

'We need to be educating and encouraging doctors to refer overweight and obese children to nutrition experts as early as possible,' said co-author Julie McFarlane, an Accredited Practising Dietitian, from the Wyong Hospital.

Claire Hewat, CEO of the Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA), said, "Current nutrition services provided by the local public sector are insufficient. DAA would like to see improved access to Accredited Practising Dietitians in the community setting to help manage overweight and obesity in children and adolescents."

"These kids have an increased risk of becoming obese adults. Carrying excess weight is linked with a greater risk of Hypertension.aspx">high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes - conditions that are already straining our health system and costing the Government big dollars."

Ms. Hewat said many children are eating too much saturated fat, salt and sugar, and not enough fruit and vegetables. She also said many weren't getting the recommended hour or more of moderate to vigorous exercise each day.

Doctors' Efforts to Fight Childhood Obesity Not Working

2009-10-03T10:13:00.000-07:00

Researchers are recommending that officials in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia rethink their efforts to combat obesity in children because the current strategies -- emphasizing healthy diets and exercise -- aren't working.

In a study released online Sept. 4 in BMJ, Australian researchers followed more than 250 overweight and mildly obese Australian children who visited their general practitioners between 2005 and 2006. A total of 139 were given counseling over three months about changing their eating habits and increasing exercise; the other 119 did not get such counseling.

Parents said the kids who received counseling drank fewer soft drinks, but they didn't eat more fruit or vegetables or less fat, and they didn't lose significant amounts of weight.

The researchers reported that brief, physician-led intervention produced no long-term improvement in body mass index, physical activity or nutrition habits.

The counseling isn't harmful, the study authors noted, but it doesn't seem to work and is expensive.

"Resources may be better divided between primary prevention at the community and population levels, and enhancement of clinical treatment options for children with established obesity," the researchers concluded.

Communities can make an impact on childhood obesity rates

2009-09-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

Parents strive to help children stay fit and healthy. Now, a new report says local government should do its part, too.

The report from the Institute of Medicine offers a menu of obesity-fighting actions that communities nationwide could implement. Tactics range from zoning restrictions on fast-food restaurants near schools, to community policing to improve safety around public recreational sites.

“The healthy choice must be the easy choice,” said Eduardo J. Sanchez, chair of the committee behind the report and vice president and chief medical officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. “It’s hard to eat fruit instead of chips when neighborhood stores carry little fresh produce, or to bike to school on busy roads with no bike lanes.”

How Communities Can Help Keep Kids Fit:

Provide incentives to lure grocery stores to underserved neighborhoods.
Require nutritional information on restaurant menus.
Implement “Safe Route to School” programs for walkers and bikers.
Ensure publicly run after-school programs limit video game and TV time.
Efforts undertaken in communities ranging from Shelby, Mont., to New York City show how local officials can make an impact on obesity rates. The solutions boil down to increasing access to healthy foods and opportunity for active play and exercise.

Are Your Kids Overweight? Tips To Get Your Kids to Eat Right

2009-09-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

by Alex Tatarinov-Levin

Almost 30 years ago, the USDA made an earnest attempt to classify ketchup as a fresh vegetable in school lunches. For obvious reasons, the proposal was widely ridiculed and shot down. In 2004, the department had another go, this time championing batter-coated french fries. So don't feel guilty about super-sizing your fries anymore; just think of them as a salad-the USDA does.

The food industry has always influenced our eating habits, making it more difficult for parents to control what their children eat. But now the industry's marketing strategies have become much more sophisticated and invasive, bombarding children with products and advertisements from every conceivable angle, even infiltrating our schools.

The food lobby is a profit-driven business like any other and would never voluntarily enforce non-mandatory health regulations-that's why we need to demand more vigilance from school boards and the FDA in keeping profiteering corporations out of our kids' schools. With fast fooderies sprouting up on every corner and a national obesity epidemic that-appallingly-is increasingly afflicting even toddlers, (According to National Academies' Institute of Medicine, the rate of childhood obesity has doubled in 2-5 year olds over the past 30 years) it's no surprise that parents are laying the blame with those who have the most to gain.

Certainly, many food companies neglect the social responsibility that comes with the territory, and sometimes it can seem like the media has replaced us as our kids' role models, but the ability, and responsibility, to instill good eating habits ultimately lies with the parents- the ones actually selecting and buying the food. There is absolutely no excuse for having a junk-food stocked kitchen in which your sole function is that of an on-call chef. It's especially essential to instill a healthy routine in children from a young age to teach them about and adjust them to good nutrition practices.

If a 2-5 year old is obese, only the parents are to blame for his/her poor dietary habits. But the good news is that it's never too late to start eating healthy, and according to leading experts, the benefits of doing so extend beyond physical wellbeing to improve general attitude and mental health.

A common obstacle many mothers and fathers face before taking the first step toward healthy living is knowing where to start. With the intimidating litany of books and opposing ideas on health topics available today, it's easy to think the laws of nutrition have no rhyme or reason. (After all, the medical communities' position on children drinking coffee seems to change almost monthly, and just last November a study in Aberdeen revealed that slouching is actually good for your back!) To help sort out some of the confusion, we've compiled several general guidelines below to help make sense of it all and debunk a few common misconceptions.

THE CLAIM

Children should be allowed to eat until they are content.

THE FACTS

There is no consensus on this issue, but many experts agree that children should be allowed to choose their own portions. The Weight-Control Information Network additionally recommends starting with small portions and letting your child ask for more if s/he is still hungry.

There are two caveats: children should only eat their fill if the meal is healthy (limiting your child's daily juice intake is an acceptable and recommended weight management method); secondly, coercing a child who's not hungry to eat can facilitate bingeing and is discouraged. Even if your child seems overly-lean but grows at a normal rate, there's no reason to worry. If you are concerned your child may not be eating enough, start a log of his/her growth progress to identify a potential development stunt in addition to consulting with a pediatrician.

Lastly, keep an eye out for various factors that can further mitigate eating habits: for instance, children have been shown to eat more in groups, making playtime the right time to have plenty of wholesome and portioned snacks available. A study released by researchers at the University of Buffalo last Friday showed that children also tend to eat more while watching TV. It's easy to overeat when distracted, so we suggest limiting television time to one hour a night.

THE CLAIM

Athletic children need more nutrients, particularly protein, in their diet.

THE FACTS

Along with watching what you eat, exercising is one of the best gifts you can give yourself, and building muscle is just one of its many advantages. While kids who are active use more energy and certainly require more calories to replace it, more protein does not, contrary to popular opinion, add up to more muscle. This misconception most likely stems from the deterioration associated with protein deficiency, an extremely rare condition among American children. Nutritionists recommend a mere 15% daily intake of protein for athletes, with 50% allotted for carbs-the body's primary fuel.

Another common misconception is that kids who are active need more vitamins. In fact, taking too many supplements (such as iron) can lead to an overdose. Fluid requirements, on the other hand, are greatly elevated during any strenuous exercise, especially since thirst is not considered a reliable indicator of hydration. The Center for Disease Control recommends drinking water every 15-20 minutes before, during and after exercising, especially in the heat.

This brings us to debunk another myth: though water quenches thirst better than Gatorade, sports drinks are better suited for strenuous or prolonged exercise because they contains electrolytes which help maintain body fluid levels as well as the power-fuel glucose. This means that sports drinks not only slow dehydration but also provide energy. To sum up the key points, athletic children need extra food-energy but shouldn't change the balance of calorie-type ratios in their diet. Even more important than a balanced diet for an athlete is constant attentiveness to his/her hydration schedule.

Tip: Eating or exercising directly before a vigorous activity will slow your performance.

THE CLAIM

Eating sugar provides a temporary energy boost.

THE FACTS

The energy rush we get from sugar strolls by leisurely more than it rushes; the body relies on stored energy-glucose stored in the muscles and liver-so not only is the sugar useless, but it can even increase the risk of gastrointestinal problems such as cramps and nausea according to Suzanne Nelson Sc.D. RD, University of Washington.

The most important thing to remember is that no matter how difficult junk-food companies make it to change your kids' eating habits, you have more influence in your role as a parent-we think you'll be surprised by how painless the transition can be when you incorporate a little fun and variety in the menu! Keep in mind that meal times are a perfect opportunity to embed a positive outlook on eating healthy in your children, so try to keep it fun and avoid conflict. Also, feel free to indulge in your favorite foods occasionally (variety is a great way to build excitement and a positive attitude towards nutrition), just don't compromise healthy eating right out of your routine!-always remember who decides the menu.

The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your health care provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate medical professional.

About the Author
Alex Tatarinov-Levin is a writer for Yodle, a business directory and online advertising company. Find a doctor or more health articles at Yodle Consumer Guide.

Obese kids aged 12 showing early signs of heart disease: EU study

2009-09-03T02:18:00.000-07:00

Overweight and obese kids as young as 12 are showing early signs of heart disease, warn Spanish researchers.

During a study, scientists in Barcelona analysed 80 obese and overweight kids with an average age of 12 and compared them with 60 lean youngsters.

They found that larger kids had higher cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as more signs of pre-diabetes.

The researchers are now looking into 'endothelial dysfunction' - a thickening of the arteries associated with heart problems.

By studying how easily the forearm relaxes, scientists are able to monitor the degree of the dysfunction.

They discovered the overweight and obese children had a similar level of the condition to adults with chronic heart disease.

'Endothelium-dependent relaxation of forearm arteries is already impaired by the same as in adults with chronic heart failure, and this in our 12-year old obese children,' the Scotsman quoted the researchers as saying.

'Primary or secondary prevention strategies starting early in childhood should aim at reversing current increase in childhood obesity.

'These strategies can be initiated at home and in preschool institutions, schools or after-school care services to influence diet and physical activity in the entire children population. However, further research needs to explore the most effective strategies to prevent and treat obesity.

'Already in early childhood, overweight and obesity are associated with the risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol levels,' they added.

The findings were presented at European Society of Cardiology.

Child Obesity in America

2009-08-04T13:50:00.000-07:00

by Petersonbran

Child obesity has quickly become a major problem in America, the degree to which may not even be fully realized at this point. To consider all the aspects of obesity, a systems approach is necessary in identifying all factors involved. From this perspective, a more encompassing view of the prevalence of child obesity can be observed.

Child obesity can be attributed to several factors. A child's eating habits, physical activity level, hormones, genetics and environmental considerations are all involved in the picture of child obesity. Obesity involves both physical and emotional problems. While medical risks for diabetes among others are well known, these children typically suffer from low self-esteem and social isolation from peers, which has equally devastating effects on child development.

Child obesity is on the rise in the United States of America, and it's no secret. The rate of toddlers who are overweight has doubled in the last twenty years. Nearly eight percent of all four and five year old kids are overweight. The problem has become more prevalent for girls than boys, and is more common in older children rather than younger ones.

There is a battle being fought in America. A battle that currently we are not winning. Obesity in America is an issue that requires some drastic changes to not necessarily our lives but mainly our lifestyle habits. If obesity in America is to be conquered we all must ask for changes to be made.

Exercise is another way to lower obesity in America. Start by hiding that TV remote control to make you get up and change the channel. Walk to the corner store. Climb that flight of stairs instead of catching the elevator. By a pedometer and just see how you can increase those steps each day and by doing so you will be eating up those calories. If we all do a little bit more each day obesity in America and all that child obesity from fast food will be on the decline and that my friend will benefit all of society not just the individual.

In America today, many people including children and young adults are going out to eat more often, eating foods high in fat and calories. Also, many children and teens are staying inside more often paying video games and watching TV programs or chatting online or cell phones with friends rather than going outside and being physical active. These eating habits and lack of exercise have led to problems with obesity in children and teenagers.

Some causes of Obesity in Children can include: the family, for example the risk can be higher if the children has one or two obese parents. Children who watch a lot of television may also be at a higher risk for obesity because watching television does not require that much energy and snacking on high calorie foods can happen while children are watching television. Heredity can also play a part in child obesity. Children and Teenagers can help prevent and treat obesity by developing an exercise program or becoming more active because this will help them to burn fat, increase energy and maintain their weight. Children and Teenagers should also eat a balanced diet and moderate their television watching and calorie intake. Teaching children and young adults about nutrition in school as well as at home can help prevent this problem as well.

About the Author
Read About Weight Loss Diet Also Read About Weight Loss Surgery and Child Obesity America

The Shocking Truth About Childhood Obesity

2009-07-18T10:20:00.000-07:00

by J.J. Yong

If you think only adults should be concern about their weight, then think again. As statistics show that obesity in children are increasing at an alarming rate all over the world especially in the United States, it is indeed time for you to not only worry about your weight but your kids too.

So here's the plain old truth, obesity is actually caused by a few factors. Putting genes and hereditary fallouts aside, an individual's calorie consumptions that exceeds the amount burnt through physical activity is the main contributor to the excessive baggage on one's body. Aside from that, the lack of exercise is also another existing factor as well. When a child spends hours in front of the television and computer, he is bound to develop couch potato habits and snack on sugary treats and drink sodas while doing no exercise at all. And this is how a child gains weight which would lead to the scary but common condition of obesity.

Children who are obese may suffer severe weight problems, contact gall bladder and liver disease, sleep disorder and even increase in cholesterol at such an early age. They are also prone to contact asthma. As many studies would show, boys are more prone to developing these serious diseases in comparison to girls.

If the condition is prolonged, the child would have an uncomfortable life of always being taunted, teased and placed at the risk of bad health conditions. Also, some may even fall into depression and loneliness as well.

To sum it up, obesity in children has become more and more serious and we should take note about it and try to put a stop to it. So learn childhood obesity prevention by limiting your child's television and gaming time while encouraging outdoor activities by letting them go to the park everyday and join sports teams in school and so on.

About the Author
For more facts about childhood obesity including preventing childhood obesity, visit SolvingChildhoodObesity.com.

Childhood obesity link to parents

2009-07-13T11:43:00.001-07:00

Like father, like son -- new research points to gender relationships between parents and their children as vital factor in childhood obesity
The relationships between children and their parent of the same gender in the earliest years of life could be the key to understanding why some young people become obese and others do not, new research conducted by the EarlyBird Diabetes Study has shown.

A study published today in the International Journal of Obesity indicates that girls whose mothers are classified as clinically obese are significantly more likely to struggle with weight problems in childhood, with a similar relationship existing between obese fathers and their sons.

The findings showed that the same trend does not exist between mothers and their sons and fathers and their daughters – meaning that behavioural, rather than genetic, factors could be the key to unravelling the causes of the current obesity epidemic affecting children in the UK.

The Study's Director, Professor Terry Wilkin said:

"Any genetic link between obese parents and their children would be indiscriminate of gender. The clearly defined gender-assortative pattern which our research has uncovered is an exciting one because it points towards behavioural factors at work in childhood obesity.

"These findings could turn our thinking on childhood obesity dramatically on its head. Money and resources have focussed on children over the past decade in the belief that obese children become obese adults, and that prevention of obesity in children will solve the problem in adulthood. EarlyBird's evidence supports the opposite hypothesis – that children are becoming obese due to the influence of their same-sex parents, and that we will need to focus on changing the behaviour of the adult if we want to combat obesity in the child."

Overweight kids 'experience more depression, loneliness, anxiety'

2009-07-04T23:22:00.000-07:00

A new study by University of Missouri researchers has found that overweight kids, especially girls, show signs of the negative consequences of being overweight as early as kindergarten.

These negative results may include depression, anxiety and loneliness.

"We found that both boys and girls who were overweight from kindergarten through third grade displayed more depression, anxiety and loneliness than kids who were never overweight, and those negative feelings worsened over time," said Sara Gable, associate professor of human development and family studies in the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences.

The study was published in Applied Developmental Science.

How to Fight Childhood Obesity (Weight loss, Nutrition, and Multivitamin)

2009-06-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

by Gerald Fitz

The United States has seen a large jump in the number of obese people over the last forty years. According to the Body Mass Index (BMI), a metric for gauging body fat, 63% of Americans are overweight. 31% of Americans are obese, and 3.8 million Americans weigh over 300 pounds. The cost for maintaining the healthcare for a large number of overweight Americans is astronomic. This is due to many diseases being connected to obesity including: diabetes, cancer, depression, heart disease, and osteoporosis.

Yet, even more disturbing is the rate at which childhood obesity is rising. This dangerous trend is speeding the spread of many diseases in a lower age bracket. The number of heart attacks for people under 30 has risen significantly over the past five years. Many children now have cholesterol counts that were only seen in much older patients. This trend of childhood obesity, although starting in America, is spreading around the world. The amount of obese children could lead to a global pandemic of type 2 diabetes.

A new study has also found that the amount of fat cells in an adult body is equal to the amount of fat cells in the body when a person is eighteen years of age. This explains the problems that people, who were obese as children, have managing their weight later in life. It also shows the importance of helping children to control their weight and establish healthy lifestyles.

There are ways that parents, who have obese children, can help them. Here are some suggestions.

Be an example - Many studies have linked a connection between overweight parents passing their poor dieting practice onto their children. As a parent it is important that you set the example to your children of how to have a proper diet. This will require more work in the kitchen, and the preparation of more home cooked meals. Fast food is often a quick way to add large amounts of fats and sugars into your diet. Even if you have a busy schedule, there are many solutions and ways that people can plan out meals as a family. Not only will eating healthy meals increase the health of your child, but studies have shown that eating meals together as a family helps the child's social and behavioral development.

Don't be overbearing - Although it is a good idea to limit the amount of sugary food a child has, it isn't a good idea to cut them off cold turkey. One thing that parents often forget is that their children, although overweight, are still children. Not giving them any sugary food won't help them to make good nutritional decisions, but rather just eliminates the chance to help them learn to eat in moderation. Children can be both children and healthy. Your child doesn't live in a bubble don't feed them like they do.

Pay attention to your child's mental health - Depression and anxiety disorders are growing in children and teenagers. One of the common side effects of these symptoms is to over eat, which causes more anxiety and depression. Your child's over eating could be a sign of a more serious disorder, and solving that disorder will help solve the obesity.

Promote healthy practices - Help your children to find ways to have physical exercise. Also promote proper dental hygiene, and personal hygiene. Another good idea is to have your children take a good multivitamin. Even if you are giving them a wide variety of healthy foods in a nutritional diet, it is difficult to provide a growing child with all the nutrients they need. Helping them to form that habit of taking a good multivitamin will improve their health, and nutritional habits. Those habits will help them to control their weight, and to live better lives.

Childhood obesity is a problem that can't be ignored. Yet, people can make a large difference in this problem if they will make some simple adjustments in their daily lives. Weight loss can be a daunting task, but little steps will make a big difference in the long run.

About the Author
For more info on multivitamins, visit Top Form Nutrition

Childhood Obesity - Statistics, Health Risks and Causes

2009-06-21T22:23:00.000-07:00

by Fiona Applebee

What is a traditional average American family? It used to be described as a "married couple with 2.4 kids and a dog living in a house with a white picket fence. Things have changed dramatically and continue to change steadily. Technology has something to do with some of these changes and the economy has a great deal to do with the changes. Most women used to stay at home and take care of the children and the household. Now, it takes both parents working to keep the family going in most households. Children are often the ones who pay the price, and the price often comes in the form of childhood obesity.

Childhood Obesity Statistics

According to childstats.gov, a forum on child and family statistics, 17% of children aged 6 to 17 were overweight from 2005-2006 in comparison to 6% in 1976-1980.

Why is this? First, children aren't eating the meals that they need to eat and aren't getting the exercise they need. No longer is the average family the one that has a healthy, home-cooked meal prepared for the family to sit at the table and eat. It's all about eating on the go and the food that we eat when we are in a hurry can really pack on the pounds.

Health Risks of Child Obesity

How serious is child obesity? There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is considered Juvenile Diabetes which is an endocrine condition where the pancreas produces little or no insulin. It typically occurs during childhood or adolescence. Type 2, on the other hand, has always been considered Adult Onset Diabetes and usually occurs later in life. With the increase of obesity in children, there has been a sharp rise in the number of children who are developing Adult Onset Diabetes. Obesity is the hallmark of type 2 diabetes as opposed to not being obese in Type 1.

Factors that Explain the Rise in Childhood Obesity

The end of the family dinner isn't the only contributing factor to childhood obesity. Children are no longer required to walk to and from school, they don't get play time for physical activity at school, and they don't have chores that demand physical exertion. Many modern day children spend their time indoors in front of the television or playing video games. Electronics have become the live-in babysitters that give busy parents free time to take care of other responsibilities. American children simply aren't getting enough exercise.

While being entertained in front of the TV, children snack on foods that are high in sugar, fat, and calories. Their activity levels have decreased while their intake of junk foods has greatly increased. This has the potential to create children with many health problems related to lack of nutrition and over-consumption of unhealthy foods. Fruits and vegetables that are essential for growth and good health have taken a backseat to processed treats.

The average family in America is no longer the image captured in many black and white sitcoms but has instead become a decline in quality that only seems to be growing as a trend in family behavior.

About the Author
The author writes informative articles for today's modern family. She specializes in family finance and family fun topics.

Childhood Obesity - 3 Steps To A Real Solution (II)

2009-06-06T22:06:00.000-07:00

Ladies beware. I don't mean to frighten you, and it just doesn't seem fair, but obesity is a killer. Not only does it claim over 300,000 lives per year, it also significantly increases your chances of acquiring diabetes and/or breast cancer. One day I stepped on the scale and nearly passed out when I read the numbers: 270. I shook my head in amazement and whispered to myself, "Congratulations Mr. Taylor, you are obese." For the next 18 months following that momentous day, I dedicated myself to a diet of three meals and two small snacks per day, and found a way to get some exercise at least five days out of each week. It wasn't easy, and yes, there were both good and bad days. Following the bad days I reconfirmed my desire to continue with my diet and refused to quit. In hindsight, I can see that the refusal to quit was much more vital to my success than the actual diet plan.

There are dozens, perhaps hundreds of diet plans available on the market today. You may even be working on one prescribed by your physician. In my opinion, any sensible diet that does not demand extremes in food limits, such as starvation diets, and emphasizes a well-balanced approach to reducing calorie intake and increasing calorie consumption (via exercise) is workable. If you have a specific medical condition, such as hyperthyroidism or diabetes, than of course you need to be working under a doctor's diet, specifically designed for you and your condition.

The important thing, I believe, is for you to find a diet you are comfortable with, and that you can sustain as a way of life. Jumping from one diet to the next may be good for the booksellers and packaged food diet plans, but it is rarely effective in helping you to actually lose weight.

Here is the skinny on my weight loss, which you may or may not like to hear. Short of a specific medical condition, as I mentioned earlier, weight loss is a function of expending more calories than you consume. You can do this in any one of three ways:

1. Increase the amount of calories your body burns through regular exercise.

2. Decrease the amount of calories you eat.

3. Attack weight loss by both eating less and exercising more.

Every thing else you read or hear about dieting is a variation or elaboration of these three key points.

Additionally, I learned that successful dieters are patient dieters. It took ten years of binge eating and neglect for me to accumulate over 90 pounds in excess weight. But when I started my diet, I wanted the fat off immediately-that Thursday would have been fine. Sadly, it didn't happen as I planned. It took 18 months of consistent, deliberate work. On a positive note, however, I felt the difference in my energy level and self-esteem within one week of diligently adhering to my diet. And as you will learn, it's these small rewards of confidence and new energy that you will begin to feed on as you adapt to a new lifestyle.

There was no magical pill, ointment, food product, or ingenious piece of home exercise equipment that helped me along. In fact, I would still like my $39 back for that abdominal workout gizmo that tightened my love handles, but did not help me to lose a single pound. Make patience the first ingredient in your successful diet recipe book, and forget the gimmicks.

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Click Here! to learn more about how you free your child from Childhood Obesity

Childhood Obesity - 3 Steps To A Real Solution (I)

2009-05-23T22:04:00.000-07:00

by Phillip Collinsworth

An epidemic of obesity and its health related complications are sweeping America. And sadly, many of the current statistics suggest the problem will only get worse a glut of children diagnosed with childhood obesity reach adulthood.

Unfortunately, one out of three of us are part of this plague, and the number appears to grow daily. Despite an abundance of diet books, diet plans, home exercise equipment, and dire warnings from the medical community, less than one percent of dieters achieve sustained weight loss and many fail to produce measurable results in health improvements. In fact, research suggests dieting may be part of the obesity problem, rather than the solution.

The root of the obesity problem lies in our eating habits. Simply put, we eat too much saturated fat and refined sugar, and too little fiber-most of this brought on by spending over half of our food budget on fast food in the form of greasy burgers and fries, gulped down with syrup-laden sodas. Let me give you two weight loss tips right here: (1) Stop using the drive-thru. (2) Stop eating refined and sweetened foods.

On a personal level, has your diet succeeded in changing your eating habits? Chances are it has not. A diet plan may tell you what and how much to eat, but it cannot settle your body's craving for food, nor can it change your eating habits.

According to the Surgeon General, obesity causes over 300,000 deaths per year and doubles your chances of becoming diabetic. Obesity also increases the probability of acquiring other health related issues, such as:

· Heart disease

· Breast cancer

· Asthma

· Sleep apnea

· Arthritis

· Pregnancy complications

· Depression

The statistics are frightening. The problem is real. But, there is hope. While the national statistics of obesity and diabetes skyrocket, you can defy the numbers. As you journey with me, it is my hope you will find the inspiration to achieve success with your diet.

Diets are personal, and what works for one person may not work for another. Amidst the din of conflicting and often confusing information about dieting, you must choose the path that is right for you. Your diet should not be drudgery, but should be a joyful process of self-discovery and mastery over food addiction. Each successful day represents a triumph, and each triumph gives you more strength and resolve to persevere. As Thoreau once stated "We are all sculptors and painters, and our material is our own flesh and blood and bones."

Now is the time for new beginnings. Become a successful dieter, today. . The clock is ticking.

I would like to speak to you metaphorically for a moment by comparing my body and eating habits to a steamroller.

When it comes to eating I'm just like one of those steamrollers you see flattening the pavement at a construction site. Once that thing gets rolling, it takes a lot of energy to stop it. Likewise, once I start eating, I tend to binge. Everything in my path gets flattened-that is, eaten. Steamrolling my way though the refrigerator seemed fun at the time, but looking back, I realize it was a recipe for disaster.

For ten years I ignored the growing bulge around my waistline and laughed as my pants sizes, and clothing purchases escalated with a regularity that kept my local Wal-Mart clothing department gainfully employed. But like a balloon, you can only fill it up so far before she blows. I had to find a way to shut the steamroller down before it ran me over.

Carrying the steamroller analogy a bit further, I knew if I could steal the battery, or somehow disable the starting mechanism, I could make it through the day without bingeing or grossly violating the rules of my diet. What I learned was that the best way to disable the bingeing steamroller machine was to not allow it to get started. That is, I recognized I was unable to stop eating after I started, therefore, I resolved to not get started to begin with. Dieting for me required cold turkey cessation of the snacking routine. I now limit my eating to scheduled meal times. I now eat three meals and two snacks per day. It's not easy, and it takes desire, dedication, and determination to succeed.

You know that.

But what you may not realize is that the benefits of being physically fit make the pain, discomfort, and hassle of dieting worthwhile.
(to be continued)

Childhood obesity linked to allergy risk

2009-05-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

A new study has shown that obese kids and adolescents are at increased risk of having some kind of allergy, especially to a food.

"We found a positive association between obesity and allergies," said Darryl Zeldin, M.D., acting clinical director at National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and senior author on the paper.

"While the results from this study are interesting, they do not prove that obesity causes allergies. More research is needed to further investigate this potential link," Zeldin said.

In this study, researchers analysed data from 4,111 children and young adults aged 2-19 years of age.

They looked at total and allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) or antibody levels to a large panel of indoor, outdoor and food allergens, body weight, and responses to a questionnaire about diagnoses of hay fever, eczema, and allergies. Obesity was defined as being in the 95th percentile of the body mass index for the child's age.

The researchers found the IgE levels were higher among children who were obese or overweight. Obese children were about 26 percent more likely to have allergies than children of normal weight.

NIEHS researcher Stephanie London, M.D., a co-author on the study, said: "The signal for allergies seemed to be coming mostly from food allergies. The rate of having a food allergy was 59 percent higher for obese children,"

The study has been published in the May issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Diet for Obese Children

2009-04-25T22:03:00.001-07:00

by naturalremedies

Obesity has been receiving a lot of media attention recently with statistics showing that the problem is increasing at an alarming rate. Historically obesity has been exclusively seen as a problem of adults, becoming more prevalent with advancing age, however with children's lifestyles becoming less and less active due to a number of factors, obesity in children is also on the rise. There have always been fat children but they were always an exception to the norm.

Excessive body weight is associated with many diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, obstructive sleep apnea, certain types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.[4] As a result, obesity has been found to reduce life expectancy.[4] A combination of excessive caloric intake, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility is thought to explain most cases of obesity, with a limited number of cases due solely to genetics, medical reasons, or psychiatric illness.

A diet is something negative that makes children feel focused on their size rather than their health. Diet does not mean healthy it means getting thin any way possible, which is exactly the opposite of what we want our kids to believe. What you teach your kids when they are young about eating habits is the seed you plant for their future and giving our children good health.

Diet for Obese Children:

Preparing and cooking meals as a family has many benefits. Your children will learn about proper nutrition, they will be directly involved in the creation of a meal, and studies have shown that children are more apt to eat their entire dinner vegetables and all. This, of course, means they are eating healthier. They are also benefiting from the kitchen experience and hopefully learning a skill that they will utilize for the rest of their lives.

• Kids need to learn about food and health so they can make informed choices.

• Decrease high-fat/high-calorie foods offered in school cafeterias and vending machines; replace with fruit, yogurt, low-fat popcorn and other healthier snacks and foods.

• No more fast food in schools (except special events - one time per month).

• School Boards should agree to implement a plan to gradually increase meaningful physical activity in K-12 (with an emphasis in elementary schools) and STOP altogether offering/making available unhealthy, high-fat, high-sugar foods on campus.

• Include grated veggies into meatloaf and soups. Puree lots of veggies into spaghetti sauce, as long as it's still red they will eat it.

• When children are old enough to eat raw vegetables, and are practicing addition and subtraction, use carrots or other vegetables to help them count. Have them eat one, and they have one less, have them eat three, and they have three less.

• If possible, have young children participate in growing a colorful vegetable garden. Children love to eat what they grow.

• Make eating fun by noting that broccoli looks like trees, mashed potatoes are like mountains, etc.

• Make food faces. Tortilla or pita bread-head, bell pepper strips-mouth, grated cheese-hair mushroom nose ,orange slice

• If your child is overweight don't belittle, lecture or bribe them to lose weight. Discuss this calmly with them and make a plan together, with your doctor, about how to help in the best way. Don't single them out but make this a family plan that you can all benefit from. Most authorities believe that children shouldn't diet. They should be encouraged to eat healthier and exercise more so that their height catches up to their weight.

About the Author
Read About Fast Weight Loss also Read about Child Obesity and Diet for Obese Children

Causes Of Childhood Obesity

2009-04-12T19:18:00.000-07:00

by Sarah McCurdy

Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in the United States as roughly 25 million children are overweight or very close to being so. The experts agree that the health consequences of this can be devastating. This article will show what some of these consequences are as well as some of the causes of childhood obesity.

It has been known for years that children who are carrying extra pounds put a big strain on their body and overall health. These children have an increased risk of several health issues including type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol levels and can also decrease their life expectancy by up to five years.

Research has shown that this excess bodyweight can also increase the child's risk of developing heart disease when they become an adult. Also, over 30% of obese children have too much fat in the liver which may lead into hepatitis, liver failure or cirrhosis of the liver. This obesity affects every single organ in the body and even more so in children because they are growing and developing. Sleep apnea is another symptom of obesity in children and can lead to fatigue throughout the day and affect the child's performance in school.

What Are The Causes?

Well, the most obvious cause is diet. Many of our kids do not eat healthy foods and consume way too much junk food and snacks. Another factor is the activity level of the child. Many children do not get any physical exercise and spend excessive amounts of time in front of the TV or playing video games for hours on end.

There are also genetic factors involved that can cause childhood obesity. It has been shown that children whose parents or siblings are obese are at an increased risk of being overweight. This is not always the case though and does not necessarily mean a child will struggle with obesity just because a family member does.

There are many causes of childhood obesity and each plays a significant role in increasing the risk of your child being overweight. Make sure that your child gets plenty of physical activity by playing a sport or exercising regularly. We also need to help our children as parents by helping them make good choices in the foods they eat and smart lifestyle choices as well such as getting enough sleep.

About the Author
You can learn more about Childhood Obesity by visiting http://www.healthlog.org for free health information and tips.

Childhood Obesity - Fitness and Nutrition Facts for Child Health Promotion

2009-03-25T22:16:00.000-07:00

by Beverly Hansen OMalley

The rates of childhood obesity in Canada has tripled in the last 25-30 years. Data reports from other developing countries is quite similar. Childhood obesity is becoming a worldwide epidemic.

There can be no question that the two most significant factors in the childhood obesity epidemic are diet and exercise. The abundance of nutritionally deficient foods and a sedentary lifestyle are creating a generation poised to become adults with significant morbidity.

For the first time ever experts are calling the current generation of children an energy positive generation meaning that they have more calories going in than being expended through physical exercise and the excess energy is stored in the body as fat.

Here are the fitness and nutrition facts regarding childhood obesity:

<>Childhood obesity affects children in the same ways that obesity affects adults. Children who are overweight are more likely to develop diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, lowered self esteem, and breathing disorders such as asthma and sleep apnea.

<>Conditions that were once thought to be present only in adult populations are now being diagnosed in children. This would include conditions such as high cholesterol (hyperlipedemia), type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and gall bladder disease.

<>Children who have overweight parents are more likely to be overweight

<>Inactive children are more likely to grow up to be inactive adults

<>Physical exercise is strongly influenced by family patterns. Girls with active mothers are more likely to engage in regular physical exercise and boys who are involved in community sports programs are more likely to grow up to be men who engage in regular physical exercise.

<>Lower income and education levels correlate to lower physical exercise levels in developed countries.

<>Portion sizes shown in print and television advertising are as much as three times larger than is needed to meet energy needs.

<>Obesity during adolescence has been found to increase adult mortality.

<>Childhood obesity has been linked to the consumption of soft drinks, soda pop and even sweetened fruit juices.

<>Food and beverage companies in the US spent 1.6 million dollars (2006) marketing their products to children and adolescents. The amount of money spent to market soft drinks was 43 times the amount spent to market fruits and vegetables.

<>Families who eat their meals together are more likely to make healthier food choices that include the recommended daily allowances of all food groups.

<>A depressed mood is strongly associated with childhood obesity. Research suggests however that the depressed mood is a result of the obesity and not the cause of it.

<>Breastfeeding has been found to protect against obesity in later life.

<>Inadequate sleep has been correlated to higher obesity rates in children. Even as much as an extra hour of sleep every night can lower the risk of childhood obesity by 30%.

<>Television and computer screen time has been linked to childhood obesity. When screen time approaches 4 hours per day a child is more likely to be overweight.

<>Children view between 12 and 21 commercials daily for food and beverage products.

<>Television advertising of food and beverages directed towards children are usually for products that are high in calories, sugar, sodium, and fat.

These fitness and nutrition facts represent only a small portion of the knowledge base that is accumulating regarding the epidemic of childhood obesity. The data is clear that fitness and nutrition habits are established very early in life and are strongly influenced by marketing and the lifestyle of the family.

The best way to guard against childhood obesity is to reduce screen time, eat well, and move more. If you do these three things together as a family not only will you all become healthier, but as a result your family relationships will be strengthened.

About the Author
Beverly Hansen OMalley is a nurse who is passionate about health promotion. You are invited to visit www.registered-nurse-canada.com where Bev explores the uniqueness of the nursing profession in Canada including comparison of nurse salary across the country, preparation for the Canadian nursing entrance test and how to become a nurse in Canada if you graduated in another country.

The Crazy Rise of Childhood Obesity

2009-03-09T13:27:00.000-07:00

by Joanne Williams

Statistics have shown that for children between the years of 2 and 5 and adolescents between 12 and 19, the rate of obesity has doubled since the 1970s. For children between the ages of 6 and 11, the rate has tripled. Almost one third of all children today are at risk for becoming overweight. Sixteen percent of them already are.

Are boys more prone to rise in child obesity? When it comes to boys and girls, the rates of child obesity are similar. The rates have increased since the 1960s for both sexes. In the last years of the previous century, over 29% of all boys were at risk for becoming overweight, while 27% of all girls struggled with the same problem. Of course, some groups are more affected by this phenomena than others. Among boys, those who are of Mexican American descent tend to have a greater problem with obesity, with over 42% of boys in this group being affected by the problem. Among girls, the problem is more serious for those of African descent.

Why childhood obesity should not be taken lightly The problem of children being obese is a grave one, in that it can have lasting effects on one's emotional and physical health. In the year 2000, it was estimated that about a third of all children born in the United States are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes in their lifetimes. These children are developing Type II Diabetes and high blood pressure at an early age. They are placing themselves at increased risk for heart disease and other obesity-related diseases. Their weight also makes them the target of bullies and children who insult and taunt them about their weight. This can ruin their self-esteem and put them at risk for depression.

Lack of physical activity - a major cause of child obesity One of the sad facts of our time is that young people have fewer and fewer chances to be physically active. In elementary and primary schools, quite often there is a lack of space and equipment for serious physical education, not to mention fewer and fewer teachers with specialized training in this area. Children spent the vast majority of their time at school sitting down behind a desk. The vast majority of six to eight year olds are allowed only thirty minutes of regulated physical education in their weekly school curriculums! The game fields and playgrounds are being sold off or abandoned.

At home, children are discouraged from playing outside due to their parents' concerns with safety. Along with lack of physical activity comes the convenience of fast food. There are fast food restaurants virtually around every corner, and they have easy access to snack foods full of saturated fats and sugars. In addition, obese parents are more likely to have obese children. The reason for this is two-fold. First, obese parents probably pass down their poor habits to their children. Second, genetics plays a role in obesity.

Individual obesity control plans work best for children For children dealing with obesity, it is best to evaluate the individual's situation, taking in to consideration environmental, genetic, and metabolic concerns while treating the arising physical and psychological damage that has arisen. An obese child's eating plan should also come with an exercise plan. Long term counseling is often needed to deal with self esteem issues relating to obesity that can affect the child's performance in the real world. It's important for parents to be role models to their children and emphasize the importance of physical activity and healthy eating. Parents can create healthy environments for their children by doing regular physical activities, such as biking, swimming, or walking together. They should encourage their children to participate in sports, dance, martial arts, and etcetera. This allows children to develop an appreciation of physical activity and enjoy exercising. When it comes to eating, parents need to implement diets rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains. They can make eating enjoyable and healthy by preparing food together and eating together as a family. Fast-food should be limited and reserved for special occasions. Way too often, we reward ourselves for a job well done with food. Child obesity can easily be controlled. The process can be made fulfilling by using creative ideas. Look for other ways to reward your children for doing a great job, such as a special shopping trip or a day with just mom or dad. Not only will the kids feel appreciated, it will contribute to their well being in the long run.

About the Author
Joanne Williams is worried about child obesity and the effects it will have on this generation. It is a passionate subject as both her children were considered obese for a while. She has written extensively on this subject and shares her thoughts atchild obesity

Education Fights Childhood Obesity

2009-03-03T14:10:00.000-08:00

by Darwin Barker

The American nation is in a major health crisis. Possibly even our health insurance is in crisis. Our children are facing an early death sentence due to child obesity. It is said that this is the first generation in history where the children are not expected to outlive the parent due to childhood obesity. If that isn't enough of a wake-up call, the thought of your child not getting to experience life to the fullest should be.

If you're wondering what you can do to change the direction your child/family is headed, the first place to start is their daily activity. Most kids spend 4 hours a day in front of the T.V….and that's the minimum. Once you add in computer and video game time there is virtually nothing left for recreational activities. Sit down with your kids and find out what sports they are interested in. Ask them what kinds of things they like to do outdoors. Give them a list of chores to accomplish each day. Keeping our kids moving contributes to brain function and memory. It also gives them purpose! Depression in children is at an all time high…it's not hard to see why. This helps when you have cheap health insurance, however, why have the depressed child in the first place?

It's time to open up that refrigerator and take a good hard look inside. Do you like what you see? Are the foods on the shelves rich in fiber? Or are they loaded with fat and artificial preservatives? Our body can only give out what we put into it. If we are constantly buying fast-food or depriving our children's bodies of nutritious food, it will ultimately lead to them being tired, lazy and unenergetic. Make sure your refrigerator is stocked with healthy and fun snacks for your kids. Yogurt, cheese sticks, apples with peanut butter, carrots, etc. The children may whine at first, but their taste buds will adapt!

Make sure you Know what habbits you are instituting your family with. If they are healthy habbits then you don't need to worry, however, if they are unhealthy there are a lot of ways you can change this. Traditions is a key way. If you have good health insurance your kids will have good health insurance. If you exercise daily, your kids will exercise daily. Make sure you are setting the right example, for your kids.

In general, we need to spend much more time with our children. As parents, it is our responsibility to teach our kids how to live. Find several activities you like to do as a family that get you moving. Swimming, hiking, even a good game of family football will help your children become excited about living a healthy lifestyle. Planting and cultivating a garden is also a terrific activity for a family.

Sitting down and educating our kids on how their bodies work is something that few of us do. We should be teaching them how to look at nutritional labels, fat grams, calories, etc. Stressing the importance of regular doctor's visits is also our responsibility. Find affordable health insurance at www.healthplanone.com and get some appointments made. Have your doctor talk to the kids about blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and the risk of childhood obesity.

Habits we form as young children typically stay with us forever. In our society, taking the time to educate our kids will give them the tools they need to succeed in life! Our kids are definitely worth our time and effort.

To learn more about your local health insurance and about health insurance quotes I would suggest healthplanone.com I've had the best succes with them.

About the Author
Darwin Barker writes regularly about health related topics. I hope you enjoy this article.

The Increase of Childhood Obesity: Steps We Can Take to Help Our Children Stay Healthy

2009-01-26T09:59:00.000-08:00

by Nancy Myers

It is said that with obesity surgery, an individual can lose over 60% of their excess weight and be more times than not cured of many of their obesity related co-morbidities including high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis high cholesterol, sleep apnea and others.

But a person considering obesity surgery must remember that obesity surgery does not make a person thin, just like that. There can be many other factors that will come into play along with the surgery. It is said that long-term weight loss without obesity surgery is only achieved by some 5 to 10% of the obese. Recently, obesity surgery has been deemed one of the more effective forms of weight loss.

Like any type of surgery, it should not be entered into lightly or casually. It is a serious operation and there can be many complication involved. A person should do research about all the different type of surgeries available and talk with their doctors to be sure they fully understand all of the pros and cons involved.

There are many different types of obesity surgery, such as gastric, bariatric, band and others. Today, many clinics and institutions offer options for obesity surgery. A weight loss of up to 70% of excess weight can be achieved with an obesity surgery. These surgeries are not designed to be a quick solution for obesity. They require a comprehensive program to follow and they include support and services of other health care professionals such as psychologists and dieticians to help people over the long-term achieve their weight loss goals successfully.

So if you or someone you know is considering obesity surgery for weight loss, do the best thing possible and get yourself informed and educated about all aspects of the surgeries. Ask plenty of questions, talk to others that have been through the process and what they might have to say about obesity surgery and all the ups and downs they experienced. The bottom line is for you to reach a healthy weight and being able to maintain it for the rest of your life.

About the Author
Kim Beck writes for Obesity Factors. Obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States. Obesity surgery is one of the growing treatments being use for obesity. Find the information and resources for obesity surgery and other treatments. http://obesityfactors.com

Is Childhood Obesity Damaging Your Child?

2009-01-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

by Terry Sandhu

The question, is childhood obesity damaging your child can be answered with a resounding Yes. It is physically dangerous because it can lead to massive health problems for the future of your child. Apart from this obvious factor, there is also of psychological problems which can lead to your child growing up with low confidence and very little self esteem.

So what can you do about it? Quite a lot actually but it will have to be a process that will be used over a period of time, and not changed overnight. You can help reverse the effects of childhood obesity, although it will not be easy. However anything worth having is never easy but that's why it's worth having.

First of all you have to remember that most things that we do in our lives are through habit, and habits can be difficult to change, but they can be changed with a little hard work. Obesity in itself is not a habit but the actions that led to obesity will be habits. Things like diet, exercise, and daily activities are habits, regardless whether they are good habits.

When it comes to childhood obesity, the bad habits are the ones you need to work on as a parent. In the beginning your child will try to resist this change, after all when someone is used to living a certain way, change can be difficult to introduce. Through perseverance change can and will happen, it all depends on you and what you are prepared to do.

You need to make your child understand the value of different foods and the danger of others. Start to make gradual changes to the your childs diet. An important point to remember that whatever you changes you make for your child, you can't do the opposite. If your child see's that you are also making the effort, then he or she will respond better to those changes.

As for physical activity, it should be introduced slowly. Don't expect your child to run around a track 5 or 6 times in the first week. Start by doing fun physical activities like going to the park and playing with a ball, or other games that make your child run around. Just doing this will make a difference in your child's health.

Childhood obesity is not something we can wash our hands of as parents. We are responsible for our childrens safety, education, and well being. Our children's health lies in our hands, and as such is our responsibility. The worst thing we can do is to "get around" to doing something about it. Get around to it, doesn't work, we have to do it today or as soon as possible. If we don't do anything we are damning our children to a future of ill health and serious diseases, all because we didn't have the determination to do something about the situation when we had the chance to do so.

Worrying about childhood obesity is not a solution and there is nothing to be gained from it. Taking the bull by the horns and taking action is the key to any successful venture. I want to look at your child's face right now!

How will that face look in 5 or 10 years time? What condition will your child's body and health be in 10 years time? That face and those eyes see you as a protector and someone to look up to, and someone to turn to when things are bad. If you don't take action then things will get really bad. So do something about childhood obesity today.

About the Author
If you require weight loss help becuse you or a member of your family has trouble losing weight.. http://www.easierwayz.com

Simple Solutions to Childhood Obesity

2009-01-15T03:19:00.000-08:00

by Steve Cowley

(c) 2008 Steve Cowley

I am fortunate in living in a very beautiful part of Spain - right next door to Benidorm! For those of you unaware of the significance of that statement, let's just say that Benidorm has a bit of a reputation; it is seen to epitomise the very worse of "The Brits Abroad" syndrome! In reality it is a lively, fun, holiday resort which certainly doesn't deserve much of its bad press. As I drive through it though I can't help but notice the sheer size of so many of the holiday makers - mum, dad, and kids, all clones of each other, waddling along with stomachs leading the way! Of course, I know nothing about them as people and it is certainly not my place to judge; my comments are related to their physical size and the problems that are inherent in carrying too much weight.

If there were no health issues attached to being overweight then we would not be concerned about it. But there are - the research is quite conclusive about that. If you carry too much extra fat then your health is in danger. Recent figures painted an alarming picture of just how much of a problem this is becoming. If things go on as they are then within a few years some 12 million adults and 1 million children will be obese in the UK alone. Over the past 20 years levels of obesity have doubled in adults and tripled in children and adolescents. The problem is even more extreme in the US where the massive numbers of overweight and obese people are leading to serious public health problems.

As adults we are free to make certain choices as to what we do with our bodies. However, we rightly protect our children from making some of these choices until they are old enough to understand the consequences for themselves. We don't let them drink or smoke until they reach a certain legal age; which or course leads to that age old "game" that nearly all adolescents play where they "experiment" anyway! However, where food and exercise are concerned we are perhaps not quite so careful. It is quite legal for children to stuff themselves with foods of all kinds, and in quantities that would make our forefathers turn in their graves.

I believe there are some simple answers to a majority of the child obesity problems. Unfortunately, simple isn't always easy! Like so many of society's problems the solution may revolve around what goes on in the family itself!

In my work as a fitness professional I have always taught a very simple formula in dealing with weight loss. We need to move more and eat less; actually I encourage people to change their eating habits, very often this means eating less but just occasionally it can actually mean eating more or more regularly! Move more and eat less - not exactly rocket science is it?

If we look at the way children spend their time we can see that so much of their life now revolves around sitting down. Whether it is in lessons at school; watching TV; playing on computer consoles; or just staying indoors. The media has frightened us into keeping our children locked inside and it is a lot easier for them to entertain themselves in front of a screen. As parents we may not always approve of this strategy but at least our children are safe. Contrast this to when I was young - a few years ago I know! We were always outside playing, never at home.

So, one of our answers has to be to get our children moving again. If you are worried about their safety then find a supervised activity - there are so many to choose from, not just the traditional team sports either.

The second solution is a bit more delicate! One of my mentors told me that we cannot not teach! Excuse the double negative but he meant that we were always teaching something, often with our actions rather than our words. As parents we teach all the time - our children are very astute and they learn far more from our example than from our words! "Do as I say" is nowhere near as powerful as "Do as I do"! This means that if we are very much over weight as parents then it is very difficult to tell our children to lose weight!

So, for many families the solution to their children's obesity is right there - in the family. If it is tackled together as a family problem then the solution is much more likely to be accepted by the child. Lead from the front and by example and your children will generally follow you. Say one thing but do another and there is no chance!

There are several additional benefits to adopting this united approach. It can actually be a great bonding activity within the family unit as everyone works together and supports each other in tackling a shared issue. It also extends the health benefits to the whole family, not just the child. Finally of course, eating a healthy diet is often cheaper too!

Two simple things: Get your child moving again and change their eating habits. If you want more information on a diet plan that everyone can follow, is enjoyable, and gets outstanding results have a look at my website below.

About the Author
Steve Cowley has run full-time Fitness and Martial Arts Clubs for over 25 years. His goal is to empower people to take control of their own lives and achieve the fitness success they desire. For further information about his weight loss recommendations visit http://www.fitnesssuccess.info

Childhood obesity may change thyroid

2008-12-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

In addition to its strong associations with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, pediatric obesity may induce alterations in thyroid function and structure, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Thyroid hormones drive metabolism, however demonstration of a direct or strong correlation of obesity with deficient thyroid function has been controversial, and previous studies provide conflicting conclusions. While some studies have found that thyroid disorders may lead to obesity, this recent study shows that in some cases, it is the obesity that may cause the disorder.

"Our study shows that alterations in thyroid function and structure are common in obese children and we may have uncovered the link," said Giorgio Radetti, M.D., of the Regional Hospital of Bolzano in Italy and lead author of the study. "We found an association between body mass index and thyroid hormone levels which suggests that fat excess may have a role in thyroid tissue modification."

This study evaluated 186 overweight and obese children over a period of nearly three years. Researchers measured subjects' thyroid hormone levels and thyroid antibodies and also performed a thyroid ultrasound.

The presence of thyroid antibodies would suggest a diagnosis of Hashimoto's thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease of the thyroid where T-cells attack the cells of the thyroid. In this study, 73 children did not show these antibodies, yet their ultrasound pattern was still suggestive of Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

"The ultrasound findings are a bit mysterious," said Dr. Radetti. "However, the findings do suggest the existence of a low-grade inflammation state, which has been known to characterize obesity."

Thyroid function has been shown to return to normal after weight loss, said Dr Radetti, raising the question of the potential reversibility of thyroid abnormalities shown on an ultrasound. However, researchers still do not know whether the persistence of thyroid abnormalities in obese children may also progress into chronic thyroid disease in early adulthood. Dr. Radetti says more studies are needed to answer these questions.

http://www.endo-society.org/

Childhood Obesity - What Parents Must Know

2008-12-09T22:20:00.000-08:00

by Manmohan Varma

The speedily increasing incidence of obesity among children is one of the most challenging dilemmas facing the society today. Obesity has become an epidemic among children and adolescents in the United States, effecting about 17 percent of them. Obesity increases the risk for diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic health problems. It also decreases the quality of life. Growing public awareness of the magnitude and adverse health consequences of childhood obesity has led to an array of efforts aimed at increasing physical activity as well as promoting healthful eating.

As childhood obesity is a serious public health problem calling for immediate reductions in obesity prevalence and in its health and social consequences, parents need to understand this entity and how to address it without adversely affecting the child's psychology. Parents are concerned or would soon get concerned about the ideal weight that their child should have to remain healthy. The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Consistent with this, the "health-at-any size" approach is encouraged. This is focused on health rather than weight. It focuses on the whole person, physically, mentally, and socially. This approach shifts the emphasis to living actively; eating in normal, healthful ways; respecting each individual; as well as health and wellbeing for all at whatever size they may be. Health-at-any-size advocates support for appropriate lifestyle and behavior changes to achieve these objectives.

This must clearly be understood that being overweight does not mean that he or she is obese too and that there is a difference between being overweight and obese. How do we decide whether an individual is overweight or obese? There are scientific guidelines which decide this and classify obesity. The commonest parameter is "body mass index" commonly known as "BMI". It is the ratio of weight in kilograms to square of height in meters. Now how do you calculate this? Suppose John's weight is 80 Kilograms and his height is 1.6 meters. Then multiply 1.6 by 1.6 (this will give square of height in meters), we get 2.56. Now divide 80 by 2.56 (This is the ratio of weight in kilograms to square of height in meters). The answer is 31.25. So John's BMI is 31.25. A person is said to be overweight when his body mass index is over 25 while he or she is called obese if it is 30 or more. This classification helps to choose the various modalities of treatment available for obesity and also identifies simply overweight individuals who can adopt measures to prevent their progression to obesity.

Height and weight measurements and BMI need to be considered as part of an overall assessment and not as the single measurement for determining health status. Use of this measure alone has resulted in inaccurate labeling of children. Tables for BMI are based on assumptions that higher weight means higher body fat. However, some children with higher body weights will not be over fat, depending on physical activity, age, stage of puberty, gender, and ethnicity. For example, a recent study shows that one in four children categorized as "at risk" have normal body fat, and one in six in the normal weight range have high body fat. Children grow and mature in different ways, and a child's weight for height or BMI can best be evaluated in relation to his or her own growth history. Also, growth spurts may be preceded by an increase in body fat. Thus an over ambitious attempt to impose BMI standards on children in a blanket manner may interfere with normal growth of many.

Parents have a large role to play. Diet pattern and physical activities of children are to be focused upon. They should be aware that eating slowly helps children to recognize when they are full, so encourage slow eating. Planned and low-fat snacks which are portion-controlled can help keep kids remain satisfied between meals and stay away from overeating; thus snacks must be planned. Allocation of specific areas for eating and that too on a table is essential but it should not be in a room with a television. Children should focus on meals while eating rather than becoming unaware whether they are full while watching the television. A particular type of food like candy or cookies should not be abandoned and let everyone in the family enjoy them in moderation. Be aware of what is served at school or pack a nutritious lunch for your child. Have a dinner with the whole family as regularly as possible. Use this time to enjoy your meal and learn about your child's activities that day. Unless your doctor recommends it, do not put your child on a restrictive diet. Children have specific nutritional needs, so limiting what your child eats can interfere with healthy growth and development.

It should also be understood that when you are physically active, your child is more likely to be physically active. Find activities that you are comfortable participating in and have your child join you. When your children get praise and positive feedback while they are being active, they are much more likely to keep going with the activity, thus, applaud your children whenever they engage in any sort of physical activity. Be a proud parent, show enthusiasm and give appropriate rewards for engagements in physical activities. Mention your child's successes to your friends while your child is around. A step further, get together with neighbors and start a regular group activity plan for all the children on your street. If you see an opportunity for starting a new activity in the community, volunteer to help.

Last but not the least stigmatization of an obese or overweight child either at home or at school brings about loss of self esteem, depression and compensation through satiety of overeating. It leads also to a perception that the child is doomed to his or her fate and efforts to loose weight are not destined to bring about positive results. Thus encouragement and appreciation of the children's overall capabilities, behavior and personality, may encourage them to approach correction of obesity more positively. Parents should propose to the schools that acceptance and respect for oneself along with others can be effectively addressed as part of the overall school policy on acquiescence of diversity. Refusal to tolerate teasing or harassment of or by students or staff should become a strategy. Obesity prevention programs need to be periodically assessed by appropriate professionals to ensure that they do not create unintentional stigmatization or promote dangerous under-eating and over-exercise behaviors. All aspects of the measures required to control obesity are to be exercised in a comprehensive manner to meet the advancing menace of this draconian problem - an obese society.

About the Author
Manmohan Varma, Surgeon, has devised a unique method of gall bladder stone surgery through a single hole http://www.gallbladderstone.com . Also has a hobby of Internet Marketing & owns http://www.earnonnet.net which contains a Health Mall too. He researches on Internet opportunities & businesses which "deliver what they claim". Formerly a senior faculty in Medical Colleges, loves to teach Internet business to beginners & how to avoid scams.

Reasons For Childhood Obesity

2008-11-28T22:19:00.000-08:00

by Peter Harris

Childhood obesity is on the rise. What was once thought to affect mostly adults has been seen as a growing problem in children over the past several years. Reasons for childhood obesity are many and this article may not cover all of them. Some of the more common reasons why kids are obese are covered here.

1. Lack of Exercise or Physical Activity: more and more children these days are not getting enough exercise or physical activity. With the popularity of computers and home based video gaming systems children have less and less reason or motivation to run around outside. Video games have become so realistic and lifelike that children simply become enthralled in them. It becomes difficult to convince them that running around and playing outside can be just as fun as defeating the latest video game sensation.

2. Convenience Foods: there is greater availability of processed foods and snacks now than there ever has been. It has become very easy for a child to reach for a bag of chips or packaged sweets while playing their video games. Children will not always make the healthiest food choices and lets face it, junk food is much more appealing to a kid than something healthy.

3. Fast Foods: with parent's busy lifestyles the convenience of fast foods has become more prevalent and appealing. It has become difficult for working parents to plan out healthy meals several times a week. It is sometimes simply easier to order out or stop off and a fast food place to pick up dinner on the way home from work.

4. Environment: kids learn by example. If they see their parents/guardians eating and snacking on junk food they will likely do the same. Changing your eating habits can help influence the habits of your children.

This is not meant to be an all inclusive list as to the reasons for childhood obesity but it suggests some of the more common reasons.

About the Author
If you or your child are suffering from a weight problem then you are not alone. You are also not defeated! Weight loss for a healthier lifestyle can be achieved by anyone with the right motivation and a well though out plan. You can lose weight and live a longer, healthier life. Discover how by clicking here now.

Ban on fast food TV ads can cut childhood obesity risk

2008-11-20T10:18:00.000-08:00

Banning fast food ads on TV can cut the number of overweight children by as much as 18 percent, researchers from National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) suggest.

During the study, the researchers measured the number of hours of fast food television advertising messages viewed by children on a weekly basis.

They found that a ban on fast food television advertisements during children's programming in America would reduce the number of overweight children ages 3-11 by 18 percent, while also lowering the number of overweight adolescents ages 12-18 by 14 percent.

And the effect was more pronounced for males than females.

"We have known for some time that childhood obesity has gripped our culture, but little empirical research has been done that identifies television advertising as a possible cause," said NBER economist Shin-Yi Chou of Lehigh University.

"Hopefully, this line of research can lead to a serious discussion about the type of policies that can curb America's obesity epidemic," Chou added.

The study also found that the elimination of tax deductibility tied to advertising would similarly produce declines in childhood obesity, albeit at a smaller rate of 5-7 percent.

Advertising is considered a business expense and can be used to reduce a company's taxable income.

The authors deduce that, since the corporate income tax rate is 35 percent, the elimination of the tax deductibility of food advertising costs would be equivalent to increasing the price of advertising by 54 percent.

This would result in the reduction of fast food advertising messages by 40 percent for children, and 33 percent for adolescents.

The new study is published in the Journal of Law and Economics.

Causes of Childhood Obesity, Emotional Effects of Obesity in Children

2008-11-15T22:15:00.000-08:00

by Peter Hutch

Obesity is considered the most common dietary crisis faced by a lot of Americans today. Both infants and children are not exempted from this grave health threat. This condition often happens when they are taking more calories than their small bodies can use. Like adults, this puts them in a very high risk of other health complications. Prevention and early detection is highly advised, since parents are mainly responsible for their child's health. So what are the symptoms of child obesity?

The method for maintaining weight or losing weight is about the same for children as adults with the exception that children do need more nutrients in their daily diet. Consequently, the goal should be to feed your child a healthy diet and find ways to increase activity. If weight loss is needed, it should be slow at the rate of 1 pound a week to 1 pound a month, depending on the child's situation. Healthy eating and exercise habits should be thought of as a pair, one cannot go without the other, for your child's best of health.

The Emotional and Psychological Effects:

Other risks of obesity include the emotional and psychological effects on children. Children feel shame about being overweight or obese that can negatively impact their school work and their social standing. For example, many times a child has to deal with social discrimination which often times develops a low self esteem and self-blame.

Kids who are unhappy with their weight may be more likely than average-weight kids to develop unhealthy eating habits and they may be more prone to depression, as well as substance abuse.

Causes of Childhood obesity

Genetics and DNA have been found to be a contributing factor in the causes of childhood obesity. Unfortunately, some children are naturally predisposed to obesity. These children are born with genes that cause them to put on weight more quickly than other children. The children with certain genes end up storing the fat more easily than other children. There is not much that these children can do about their genes, but there are steps that they can take to conquer the obesity.

Lack of Exercise or Physical Activity: more and more children these days are not getting enough exercise or physical activity. With the popularity of computers and home based video gaming systems children have less and less reason or motivation to run around outside. Video games have become so realistic and lifelike that children simply become enthralled in them. It becomes difficult to convince them that running around and playing outside can be just as fun as defeating the latest video game sensation.

In the pass, children like to play sports more often, enjoy outside activities as forms of entertainment and walk to school. But now a day, children are completely opposite from the pass. The sports our children like to do these days include watching television, playing computer game, surfing internet, chatting, and any game they choose while exercising only their mind, head and hands only. When you combine the poor choices in food and the lack of exercising, there is a high chance that childhood obesity will end up lead to disease.

About the Author
Read about Natural Supplements, Herbal Remedies. Also read about Arthritis Treatment and Arthcare Oil

Ignoring Childhood Obesity Is A Parental Error In Judgment

2008-10-28T22:24:00.000-07:00

by James Rouse

It is alarming how many obese children have parents who deny that they have a weight problem.

Many parents of obese children don't see them that way. They either ignore the issue or take it on a personal level. The reason for this is that many obese children have parents that are obese themselves. This would lead you to believe that there is a serious family nutritional imbalance not to mention a serious denial problem. This is bothersome because obese children run the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol issues and other problems which are generally adult health concerns.

Often parents will conclude that their children will grow out of it or it is just baby fat. This is not the case because childhood obesity is growing to be a national health risk inching ever so close to cancer. It is our parental duty to be concerned with our children's health and hoping that the weight issue will go away is not the answer. It is disheartening to see obese children and families when a solution is as simple as changing our own lifestyles with better nutrition and exercise. This is sometimes easier said than done. Obese children run a high risk of becoming obese adults. Having obese parents would suggest that there is a family obesity problem that is at least a generation old. Now is as good a time as ever to break tradition

As parents we always have to make sacrifices and this is one sacrifice that will benefit all. Not only can we help our children but at the same time help ourselves. Turning a cheek on childhood obesity is not going to solve any problems. Admitting that there is a problem and taking action will improve not only your families health but also your families lifestyle. You can do this with better nutrition, exercise, and commitment.

About the Author
James Rouse is a personal weight loss coach and author of the popular http://www.helpcurechildobesity.com - a website created out of his passion. Perhaps you have a passion or hobby you'd like to write about. Discover how to turn it into a profitable Web site like James has. Visit http://www.helpcurechildobesity.com/how-i-did-this-bx2 to learn more.

Decrease Childhood Obesity With Household Chores

2008-10-13T22:21:00.000-07:00

by Janet Nusbaum

Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces
In the past 20 years, childhood obesity has tripled in teenagers and doubled in younger children. While these statistics may be alarming and cause for concern for parents, they also don't have to be a permanent reality. Incorporating household chores into a child's daily routine has many benefits, two of which are contributing to your child's overall health and to your child's sense of self-sufficiency and confidence. Unfortunately, however, it was recently reported in the Wall Street Journal that the amount of time children spend doing chores has declined 12% since 1997 and 25% since 1981.

The fact is that children's lives are much different than they were even a decade ago. Today's children spend on average four hours per day watching TV, that was foreign to children a generation ago. Did you know that children who spend more than two hours per day in front of a screen (TV or computer) are more likely to have an unhealthy diet and are less likely to participate in physical activity? When you factor in homework time, hygiene and meals, there's no time left for children to participate in beneficial activities like physical activity, time spent with family or in positive contributions to the good of the family.

With the rise in suburban sprawl and city living, children no longer benefit from physical activity when the space required to engage in the activities doesn't exist. Sprawling metropolises and the conveniences within them make it harder for children to remain active in or around their homes. The simple acts of walking to school, riding a bike, or building a fort, once common activities for children, don't factor into the modern child's life. The absence of these activities contribute to the problem of childhood obesity, especially when one considers that it was once common for children to spend all day playing outside and contributing to the maintenance of the family property.

Children who choose to spend their extra few minutes of recreational time watching television and playing video games are at greater risk for developing a weight problem, since the minutes add up and eventually turn into hours toward a sedentary lifestyle.

Given the lifestyle changes of US children, parents must take steps to add opportunities for activity into their children's daily lives. Simple steps can be taken to prevent and combat childhood obesity. Like many other things, it starts from within the home. In addition to changing children's eating habits and attitudes towards physical activity, parents should incorporate vigorous exercise into their children's daily lives in the form of chores. The benefits of requiring children to do chores doesn't end with a clean house or even a newfound sense of responsibility - chores can also improve children's health by keeping them fit, lean and less susceptible to medical complications associated with childhood obesity, including childhood diabetes and pre-diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, bone disorders, gastro-intestinal diseases, high cholesterol, hyperlipidemia, premature puberty and psychological problems. Keeping active by participating in household chores during childhood can also reduce a child's risk of becoming an overweight adult and worsening pre-existing conditions.

It's clear that scheduling household chores as part of a child's regular routine is not only an investment in an orderly home and a well-adjusted child, but also an investment in a healthy body that can serve them well into adulthood and beyond. Children deserve every bit of a head start that parents can afford them. Contributing to a healthy lifestyle by requiring chore work is only one of the many ways that parents can condition their children, both mentally and physically, in preparation to live full, adult lives.

About the Author
Janet Nusbaum (AKA the Organizing Genie), WAHM of two, is an Organizing Consultant, Speaker & Author of 'Mom, Can I Help Around the House?' A Simple Step-by-step System for Teaching your Children Life-long Skills for Pitching in & Picking up', who helps individuals, families, seniors and businesses organize life and navigate transitions. Visit http://www.KidsandChores.net to receive a FREE chapter of her new book and family chore system.

Child Obesity and Preventive Measures

2008-09-20T01:16:00.000-07:00

by Nick Mutt

It is extremely difficult to remove obesity from the body once it gets established. And therefore, it is advisable to take proper care of all those children who are becoming obese from their very childhood. Mothers of such children should keep complete information regarding balanced diet and should take care to ensure that their children develop the right habits of eating and living.

Here, in this article we will discuss upon the root factor of fat deposit in the body and how we can restrict it to the normal level. In the human body, fat is present in the form of an independent tissue called adipose tissue. This tissue contains a large number of fat cells.

During the first year of a childâ€™s life, the number of fat cells has a tendency to increase. After the age of one year, there is no appreciable change in the number of fat cells. The size of individual fat cells, however, may increase or decrease, depending upon the nature of energy imbalance. Thus, if a child is excessively fat during the first year of his life, the number of fat cells increases rapidly. Later on, fat gets accumulated in these cells and obesity ensues.

So the question arises, how to put check on the diet of your child. It is not desirable to impose a big cut on obese childrenâ€™s diet. In this regard, the treatment of child obesity differs from that of the adults. It is unnecessary to make any efforts to actually reduce childâ€™s weight. It is enough to devise a diet plan that ensures prevention of weight gain. As the child grows, he gradually moves towards his ideal weight. It is also necessary to insure that during his dietary regimen, he gets an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals.

Preventive measures against child obesity

The two most important things you have to do in order to prevent your child from being obese are -

1. Plan a diet for your child that contains low carbohydrate, medium fat and high protein food. Exclude carbohydrate foods like cake, ice creams, chocolate, jam, sugar, sweets, etc.

2. Encourage him to participate in sports and other physical activities. This will help him in shedding extra fat from the body.

Hazards of childhood obesity

Child obesity creates many hazards and disadvantages for children. Some of them are as below -

1. Obese children easily fall a victim to diseases of respiratory system.

2. Besides this, the long term dangers include increased serum insulin levels and increased serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Know How to Get Rid of Belly Fat. Also read about Fat Loss Supplements at Fat Loss guide - a health guide to make you and your family fit and healthy.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

About the Author
Nick Mutt

Childhood Obesity as a Result of TV and Video Games

2008-09-04T09:14:00.000-07:00

by Terry Lile

Obesity: it's every parent's worst nightmare. They cringe at the suggestion that perhaps they have done something wrong as guardians. Did they feed her too much? Not pay attention to the amount of video games that were played? These questions play a major role in today's worries, as childhood obesity is sweeping the nation. Fortunately, there are ways to get your child back on track and decrease the chance of obesity. It isn't too late to intervene.
Limit your child's "couch potato" intake. Sure, we all enjoy watching a television show or perhaps a good video game. However, everything should be in moderation. Allow your child to watch one hour of television or one hour of video game playing. This will still give them freedom to enjoy, but will limit their habit. Are they complaining of boredom? There are plenty of other alternatives - sign them up for an active hobby. Perhaps horseback riding, swimming or even basketball. As long as they are getting exercise, you are decreasing the chances of obesity.

2. While most video games have a bad reputation, there are some that actually increase exercise. Nintendo Wii has developed Wii Sports to help fight obesity. From tennis to boxing and even bowling, these games are intended to get you off your couch and start moving. Have your child focus on these and they may just want to join a real-life tennis or baseball team.

3. Forget the junk food. While most of us are too busy to cook elaborate meals, this is no excuse not to find a healthy option. Make sure your child has a balanced diet - filled with fruit, vegetables, dairy and whole grains. If you are on the run, try cooking whole wheat pasta the night before. How about Lean Cuisine meals or a bag of fruit to snack on? If you teach your child the right way to eat early on, chances are they will continue eating well. As a result, diabetes and obesity could stay at bay.

Despite the fact that we all live fast paced lives, we can still take the time to change the path our children are on. Turn off the TV and focus on what will motivate your child the most. In many cases, the Wii Sports video game does the trick. It may not be as beneficial as a jog or bike ride, but it is pointing them in the right direction. After all, anything that prevents obesity is a positive step forward. Baby steps are just the beginning.

"To learn more about the different ways of preventing obesity visit http://ObesityVideoGames.com/ where you'll find this and more, including ideas for fun fitness games that promote weight loss."

About the Author
"To learn more about the different ways of preventing obesity visit http://ObesityVideoGames.com/ where you'll find this and more, including ideas for fun fitness games that promote weight loss."

Fighting Obesity in Children Is A Battle We Must Win

2008-08-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

by sas_donsinfo4all

Obesity in children is a growing concern for many families. Obesity means having too much body fat. Obesity in children should be taken seriously. Childhood obesity has become one of the most important health challenges facing American society today. In children aged two to five, obesity rates have doubled to more than ten percent and to more than fifteen percent for those aged twelve to fourteen. The problem of childhood obesity in children is not limited to the United States -- it is now a problem for traditionally poor countries where recent prosperity has caused people to eat more and exercise less.

Health. If a weight-loss program is necessary, involve the whole family in healthy habits so your child doesn't feel singled out. If weight loss is recommended, the whole family should support the child by opting for healthy eating habits. You can encourage healthy eating by serving more fruits and vegetables and buying fewer sodas and high-calorie, high-fat snack foods. A family should be encouraged to eat in a healthy style by the purchase of plenty of fruits and vegetables and less of the high calorie sodas and high fat snacks. For children with a weight problem, fast-food restaurants are not a healthy choice.

The National Academies' Institute of Medicine proposes healthier meals in schools and restaurants; more choices of physical education at school and in the community; less television advertising aimed at children; and education of health professionals and children to make better food choices.

Overweight children and adolescents are also more likely to become obese as adults. Overweight and obesity in children are among the most important risks to children's long and short-term health. Children are increasingly becoming afflicted with diseases that were previously confined mostly to adults, (Reported by The Enquirer - Cincinnati). Overweight parents - a family's eating patterns can have a major influence on whether children maintain a healthy weight. When the parents are overweight, their eating habits have a tremendous impact on the ability of their children to maintain a healthy weight. Where the parents are overweight, the family's eating habits can have a tremendous affect on whether the children keep to a healthy weight.

Medical

The usual cause of childhood obesity and overweight is too much of the wrong foods and too little physical recreation.

Medical

Childhood obesity, a serious medical condition, is usually the result of overeating and underexercising. Although medical complications do not occur in the majority of obese or overweight children, specific disorders (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and others) can occur in the severely obese child. Overweight children should not be put on a weight reduction diet unless a physician has prescribed it for medical reasons. Nevertheless, for a severely obese child, a weight loss of one pound per month is recommended, especially when medical complications caused by obesity are present. If you suspect that your child is obese, take him or her to your physician to make sure that the obesity is not caused by a medical problem. When a child's physical activity is limited by a medical condition, a physician can recommend safe activities.

There is a tremendous chance of obesity continuing into adulthood, when it is not prevented or managed in childhood. It is stated that by medical professionals that for the first time ever, the life span of today's youth is expected to be shorter than their parents. The control of childhood obesity is a longterm commitment that should include providing the child the tools necessary to make healthy lifestyle choices. Many medical professionals say that for the first time ever, the life expectancy of today's youth could be shorter than their parents. Some medical professionals have stated, that because of obesity, the lifespan of children today will be less than their parents.

About the Author
Don M, a licensed pharmacist for 40 years, with a special interest in health and nutrition. For more interesting free articles on healthy weight-loss, visit my website.
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Childhood Obesity - The Modern Health Dilemma

2008-08-01T20:51:00.000-07:00

by Mohd Shahreil

You see it on the playgrounds, at roller rinks, at swimming pools, and in classrooms. Obesity is a modern health dilemma for todayâ€™s children, who are struggling with weight as never before. It is a difficult problem to combat, given the fact that you want to make sure that your children are receiving sufficient amounts of nutrients in their diets. While some children may outgrow obesity, others carry it with them into their adult lives. Obesity in children can result in feelings of fatigue, worthlessness, and hopelessness. It can also place them at greater risk for diabetes and heart disease.

Just how widespread is the problem? The National Institutes of Health has determined that, over the last thirty years, the number of young people with weight problems has increased two fold. Interestingly enough, the problem is affecting children of all ages as well as children from all ethnic groups.

Children who are overweight may not develop socially as fast as their peers. They can become loners, finding it difficult to make friends. They may think that their weight is beyond their control and they may not know what to do in order to attempt to prevent weight gain. In essence, obese children can become our lost generation.

The parents of these children may not realize how detrimental obesity is to their childrenâ€™s emotional health. They may consider the obesity just a passing phase and they may not understand the psychological devastation that obesity can cause. They may even dismiss the concerns of their children, hoping that the problem will simply go away. The causes of childhood obesity can be complex. However, there do appear to be a few identifiable triggers. For instance, many families now eat on the run because of their many commitments. Parents may not think they have time to prepare nutritious meals for their children, so they rely on fast food and sugary snacks to fill in the gaps. As a result, children end up eating a diet thatâ€™s rich in fat and sugar but which offers little in the way of nutritional value. According to the American Obesity Association, one third of parents believe their childrenâ€™s dietary habits are worse than theirs were during their own childhoods.

Another key problem is inactivity. Children watch more than a full dayâ€™s worth of television each week. Thatâ€™s in addition to the hours they devote to their computers. As a result, theyâ€™re not playing outside as much as children of generations past. Also, many children may feel as if they cannot participate in sports because of their weight. Feeling defeated before they even start, they pass up opportunities to engage in physical activities.

It has been shown that children tend to be heavily influenced by advertising. Unfortunately, many commercials tout foods that can be best classified as unhealthy. Children crave what they see on TV and in movie theaters and they may not realize what these foods will do to their bodies.

Luckily, childhood obesity can be successfully conquered. Here are a few tips to help your child overcome a weight problem:

â€¢ Encourage your child to take part in sports or dance. If your son or daughter is self-conscious about being a part of a team, exercise with him or her. Take out a ball and shoot a few hoops or turn on the stereo and begin to dance. You may be surprised that, with just a little encouragement, your child will get up and start moving.

â€¢ Consider limiting TV time. Research clearly shows that TV time is unproductive time for children and teens. If your children spend less time watching TV, they may spend more time exercising.

â€¢ Ban junk food from your home. With a little push, children will become accustomed to eating healthy snacks such as fruit and vegetables.

â€¢ Check with your childâ€™s pediatrician to see if he or she can recommend some specific weight control strategies.

Childhood obesity is a problem, but it is not insurmountable. The greater the interest you show in your childâ€™s diet and exercise regimen, the more influence you will have over your child. In time, your child can learn the strategies necessary for a healthy life.

About the Author
Mohd Shahreil writes regularly about health related topics. For more articles and information about Weight Loss. Please go to his blog website http://howdoiloseweightfast.blogspot.com/

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Weight Loss: Adolescence and Weight Problems

2008-07-27T20:48:00.000-07:00

by Nicholas Tan

Adolescent or teens are undergoing heavy transition between childhood and adulthood. It is the time they experience the first surge of hormones leading to different emotional complexities. They start to assert themselves in every situation and meet challenges like young adults. When social circle starts to widen, teens are always conscious about physical appearance, especially girls. They are anxious to look best, and most of all to look slender in all occasions.
Weight loss sounds like a struggle to some people, while there are ironically those who aspire to gain weight. Losing weight is critical to those who are 20% over weight. If being thin is quite a problem to some, the reality still shouts loud that it is ugly to be fat.

The onset of this issue starts in early teen-age years. High schools are stressed out to be thin while they nibble on high calorie foods. People with fast metabolism or those who weigh normally have the capacity to burn fat easier than those who overweight by heredity.

Teen weight loss has to be ruled out even childhood years. It starts during infanthood. Based on researches, breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from obesity in their adult years. Bottle fed babies tend to suck milk easily compared to breast fed babies who work harder to suck the natural way. Infants who become overweight are higher with bottle fed babies and they carry it over until they reach adolescent years. Once a child is already obese during childhood, the body has already adjusted to such metabolism.

Teens are also affected by hormonal changes. Girls have monthly woes of hormonal peaks, which could be felt during and after menstrual cycle and during ovulation. Water retention usually occurs before a period. This could be avoided by eating less salty food. Boys who are very active with activities tend to eat more but could find balance in shedding fats easily.

They are also prone to obesity given the right formula of eating too much, eating oily/fatty foods and not shedding the excess calories. Needless to say, being overweight knows no gender except for the biological reality that boys are more muscular by girls. By nature girls have 25% more body fat compared to boys because their bodies are prepared for nurturing children.

Weight loss for teen does not have to be complicated. If the teen is excessively problematic about the issue, it is important to consult a doctor and know the reason behind the abnormal weight. The doctor will determine how to attack the real problem first rather than giving ineffective methods of diets. The doctor will know the teen's daily habit and lifestyle from where he can base his judgment in giving the right nutritional advice.

Exercise is an important part of routine session to be undergone by a teen. This is to trim the muscles during weight loss. Exercise not only improves circulation but it also boosts the functioning of the body.

Effective dieting is like a goal with rules to be followed. If an expert has tabulated a weight loss diet, it should be complied with great courage and determination to get the desired result. There is no room for panic and plunging to fast methods of weight loss. It is to make the method slow but sure. This way, the weight loss is permanent.

About the Author
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Overweight Children

2008-07-20T03:20:00.000-07:00

by Kalvin C. Chinyere, M.D.

Looking out over the yard during recess, Mrs. Nyeberg saw Adam standing apart from a group of the other children who were playing. She knew that once again Adam had been left out of their games. He was endlessly taunted about his weight by the other children and had very few friends at school. At 8 years old Adam was already 40 pounds heavier than the other children.

The Epidemic

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over 9 million children ages 6 to 19 years old are overweight or obese. In a frightening trend, this number has tripled since 1980. In this same time period, childhood obesity has doubled for preschoolers (2-5 years old) and adolescents (12-19 years).

This problem is not limited to the United States but is a growing epidemic in many countries. In a country that is seemingly obsessed with weight issues we should be declaring this issue a national emergency.

Ignoring the Issue

Believing that children may merely have "baby fat" or grow out of their weight problems is a fallacy. Overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. This number increases to 80 percent if one or more parent is overweight or obese.

UCSF researcher Robert Lustig, MD, professor of clinical pediatrics at UCSF Children's Hospital notes in a review of obesity research that the Western diet is the key reason for childhood obesity.

Lustig offers that our high calorie, low fiber diets promote hormonal imbalances that encourage children to overeat. Other factors commonly attributed to the rise in obesity include frequent fast food dining, too little physical activity at school and home, larger portion sizes, and lack of sleep. Another key factor cited in numerous studies, and perhaps the most important - parents.

Parents

Parents play an important role in the growth, development, and socialization of children (Darling and Steinberg 1993). Additionally, overweight parents may pass on a combination of genetic predisposition to becoming overweight and unhealthy eating habits to their children. An Australian study showed that fathers who were permissive or disengaged were more likely to have children with a higher body mass index (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/70064.php).Obesity in children is far more than a vanity issue. Along with the rise in childhood obesity is a dramatic increase in diseases and conditions that were previously more prevalent in adults.

Health Problems

A new study revealed that obesity in adolescents is related with reduced heart functions and excessive cardiac mass. Combined with the tendency to become hypertensive this is a life threatening issue.

Being overweight puts a greater strain on the still developing bodies of children. Childhood obesity puts children at greater risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, joint problems, sleep disorders and more. One in three obese children has excess fat in their liver. This excess fat could lead to hepatitis, cirrhosis or liver failure. Not to mention the emotional toll on children who are subjected to teasing and/or isolation by their peers.

Seek Medical Help

Your physician can determine if your child's weight is healthy. The doctor will use a growth chart to compare your child's BMI to other children of the same age and sex.Cutoff points on these growth charts, established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), help identify overweight children:

BMI-for-age between 85th and 95th percentiles - at risk of overweight
BMI-for-age over 95th percentile - overweight
Your doctor will also evaluate your family history, your child's calorie intake and eating habits, other health conditions, and activity level.

Dr. Kal

I was an overweight child and an obese teen. I understand the physical, emotional, and mental pain it can cause. On my blog, I will provide weight loss strategies for children and their parents. Stay tuned.

About the Author
Kalvin Chinyere, MD, fondly known as Dr. Kal, is a weight loss expert and the creator of The Don't Go Broke Diet. Dr. Kal once tipped the scale at over 330 pounds. Dr. Kal has since lost and kept off over 140 pounds naturally. Learn more at his weight loss blog and his weight loss program website.

What Parents Can Do To Prevent Childhood Obesity

2008-07-01T03:17:00.000-07:00

by Jimmy Travers

In the United States today, obesity has become an epidemic. More children today are overweight than ever before. There are a variety of reasons for this. Sometimes weight control is a genetic problem. More often than not, overweight children eat unhealthy diets and do not get enough exercise. As responsible parents, we need to do our part to ensure that our children live healthy lives.

How can we tell if our child is overweight or just has ‘baby fat’? There is no real answer to this question because they are one in the same. Baby fat turns into pre-teen fat, which becomes adult fat. Most elementary aged children that have some weight problems still have those weight problems at age 12. Further, overweight teens are much more likely to be overweight as adults than teens that live at a healthy weight.

Genetics we cannot control. However, as parents we should do everything in our power to control our children’s diet and exercise. This must begin at a very early age. When feeding a child as a baby, we should learn to recognize the signs that the baby has had enough. We should wait until the right time to introduce new food to our children and should be careful of what they eat. We also don't want to use the television as a babysitter. We should make time to spend with our children and be active together.

One thing you can do to prevent any problems is regularly take your child to see his doctor. Talk with the doctor about your child's weight and where he should be for his age. If you are concerned about your child's weight between regularly scheduled visits, do not hesitate to talk to the doctor about your concerns before things get out of hand.

Once you have discovered that your child has a weight problem, you want to do everything you can to address the problem today, so it is not a problem when he is an adult. Make exercise fun for your child. Spend time at the park or the pool, if your area has one. Most importantly, remember that children will imitate what they see their parents doing. Provide a good example for your kids by participating in activities with them and encourage them by giving positive reinforcement.

Here are a few other tips to consider:

• Be enthusiastic about healthy food and give a variety to select from.

• Introduce new foods gradually.

• Allow your child to help you select foods from the grocery store.

• Teach them how to read labels and choose healthy foods.

• Buy less junk food.

• Serve realistic portions.

• Enjoy conversations at the dinner table, not TV.

The main thing to remember about obesity is that it is much easier to prevent than to cure. Take every step possible to help your child have a healthy life, minimize junk food and inactivity, and prepare your kids for a healthy adulthood. There are a lot of programs out there that claim to cure obesity, and they can cost a lot of money. These programs are also often a last resort. Instead of waiting until you must use a last resort, do your part as a parent to prevent the problem in the first place.

About the Author
Jimmy Travers educates parents about fitness and weight loss camp options for their overweight children. Please visit his site for more information and reviews. Get more information regarding overweight children.

Childhood Obesity-getting Your Kids Off The Couch

2008-06-14T06:42:00.000-07:00

by Scarlett Capelli

In today's society, childhood obesity is becoming a growing concern. In this age of fast-food dinners and video games your child may be eating foods that are high in fat and calories and then sitting on the couch for hours on end playing video games. It may be time to get your child moving and exercising. There are several steps that you can take to help your child live a healthier life style.

The first thing that you need to do is to teach your child to eat healthier. In the world of working mothers and two-income families, it may seem that fast food is the best way to get everybody fed. In reality, there are many healthy meals that can take the same amount of time to prepare that it takes you to drive to the restaurant, sit in the drive-thru line, order your food, and drive back home. There are also foods that can be fixed the night before and placed in the slow cooker first thing in the morning. The food cooks all day and is ready as soon as you get home from work. There are many microwavable foods available at the grocery store also. Another advantage of having a microwave oven is the ability to defrost foods quickly if you forgot to pull something out for dinner.

To create a healthy meal, you should have a meat, a vegetable, bread, a dairy, and a fruit. While this may sound complicated, a plate of spaghetti with parmesan cheese, a salad, bread, and a can of peaches with a glass of milk would cover all these groups and would take about fifteen minutes to fix. Another way to help your kids eat healthy is to remove all the junk food from your house and replace it with healthy snacks. Replace a bag of potato chips with cheese and crackers. Replace those cheese curls with celery sticks smeared with peanut butter. The children may complain at first about losing their favorite snack foods, but once there is nothing else in the house they will eventually eat these healthier alternatives.

The next step to helping your children to become healthier is to get them active. The first thing that you should do is to limit the amount of time spent in front of the television. The same thing should be done with computer and video games. Once the children no longer have the television and games to occupy their time, they will become bored. You could now suggest that you all go outside for a walk or go for a bicycle ride. If it is cold outside, you could suggest sledding or ice skating. Anything that will give your children some fresh air and exercise would be a good idea.

Children learn good eating and exercise habits from their parents. You should serve as a model for your children by eating right and staying active. By including the whole family in these outdoor events will give everyone some much needed exercise and is also a chance to spend some quality time with your children, something that we could all use a little more of.

About the Author
Find helpful and creative ideas for parents and grandparents while you shop our affordable kids furniture. For more information, visit this article on wooden toy boxes.

The Childhood Obesity Equation Is As Simple As A Equals B

2008-06-06T06:40:00.000-07:00

by Donald Saunders

When it comes to weight the human body is not a difficult machine to understand. In order to function it requires energy which it gets from the food we eat which is broken down into sugars to fuel the various complex mechanisms of the body and waste products which we simply expel.
As long as the balance between the amount of food we take in for conversion into energy and the energy we expend going about our normal day to day business remains in balance our weight remains steady. However, if we take in more food than we need to convert into energy then the body simply stores the excess fuel for a rainy day in the form of fat.

So, let us take a look at the United States, which has one of the world's highest obesity rates, and examine both sides of energy equation.

Data collected over the past twenty years shows that, on average, the energy intake of most Americans has increased by about 200 Kcal/day and that much of this has come from an increased consumption of sweetened beverages, which today account for a staggering twenty-five percent of the daily calorie intake for young adults. In addition, consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables has fallen to levels which are below those recommended and consumption of fast food prepared meals and low cost energy-dense foods has increased. A final factor of note here is that regular meal times have also largely disappeared and that people are increasingly eating throughout the day.

On the other side of the equation surveys also show that energy expenditure has dropped markedly in recent years with the Centers for Disease Control reporting that less than thirty percent of the population today lead lives which provide them with an adequate level of physical activity. For the remainder, about another thirty percent are not too far below a satisfactory level of activity but some forty percent are leading what amounts to sedentary lifestyles. Most worrying of all however is the fact that children are leading lives at well below the necessary level of activity for healthy growth and development.

In one particular study involving girls between the ages of nine and eighteen a very significant drop in the levels of physical activity was recorded over previous studies and you do not have to look very far to see why. The level of physical activity in schools in well down, due in part to budgetary constraints and increasing pressure for higher academic performance, while outside of school physical activity is often limited by a variety of factors including the need for safety. For example, the number of children who now walk or cycle to school has fallen dramatically in recent years and, rather than playing outside, the average child now watches well over thirty hours of television each week.

Against this background it is hardly surprising that the energy equation no longer balances and that the increased energy intake on one side and the dramatically reduced energy expenditure on the other side, especially in children and young adults, accounts in no small measure for the obesity epidemic that continues to sweep across the United States.

The answer to the problem of course is very simple, but getting people to take the action necessary to put the equation back into balance is going to be a long and hard battle which is going to see many more casualties before it is won.

About the Author
GastricBypassFacts.info provides a growing number of articles including several childhood obesity articles and also provides additional information on child obesity surveys

Childhood Obesity On The Rise

2008-05-15T03:00:00.001-07:00

Submitted By: Debra Slater

Obesity in children has doubled for children between the ages of two and five since the 1970s. Alarming is an understatement; this is traumatic. Toddlers should not be overweight and according to an article I read today, nearly half of Americas children will be obese by the end of the decade. What could be the cause: accessibility to junk food and not enough exercise. But it’s not just America having this problem; every country in the world is having to deal with this epidemic.

If a child has two obese parents, chances are they will be obese due to heredity. Children watch and learn alot from their parents. If the parents do not eat balanced diets and/or get any exercise, the child may pick up those habits. We as parents need to set good eating and exercising examples for our children so they understand the importance of doing the right things for your body.

In today’s society, life has become much easier and as a result lazier. With TV, computers and video games, kids don’t spend as much time outside. Families don’t spend that much time at the dinner table together; the faster dinner gets on the table, the better. Home cooked family meals are quickly disappearing.

Another sobering fact about an obese child is all the health problems they will experience at a young age. Type 2 diabetes, liver diseases, heart disease, high blood pressure, and many more are supposed to be found in adults, not children. But there are more cases of these health problems showing up in children.

Parents need to pay attention to what their children are eating, not only at home, but also when they are away. We need to instill good eating habits early and set examples ourselves. Don’t buy foods with high fat content, sugar and artificial preservatives. It’s better to make cookies than to buy them from the store. Take time to make dinner, but don’t try to do it every night. Order out every once in a while.

We can change the future. Let’s help our children live long, healthy lives.

About the Author
Our History: With over 25 years of experience in the baby related industry Happy Mothers.com has the most experienced and knowledgeable sales staff, and customer service representatives. SEO by Traffic XTC

Children and Obesity

2008-05-02T03:45:00.000-07:00

by Dean Novosat

Obesity is a growing epidemic not only in the United States, but in the rest of the world as well. And doctors are starting to notice that obesity is starting earlier and earlier in life. In the past, obesity was typically seen in people who were middle-aged or older. But now, there is a growing concern about children who are obese or are on their way to becoming obese. The reasons are varied and many but include such things as: less time outdoors and more time spent indoors; less time exercising and more time playing video games, watching TV, or time spent on the computer; and more "latchkey" kids who spend their time after school in an after school program or in day care.

As our society changes, fewer and fewer children are outside playing. I remember only 20 to 30 years ago, large number of children in the neighborhood outside after school and all summer long playing together. There were impromptu games of kick the can, hide and seek, chase, kickball, stickball, basketball, and others. Our neighborhoods were safe and all the families and parents knew each other. In today's society, parents are afraid to let their children outside to play and neighbors don't spend the time to get to know each other. This means more children and staying inside doing sedentary activities and gaining weight. This adds to the obesity problem.

The advent of computers, the internet, and video games are also exacerbating the problem of childhood obesity. Video games and computer games are readily available, easy to play, and visually stimulating and exciting. A child doesn't have to head outside and find some friends and decide on what to play. They can pop in a CD or DVD, fire up the Xbox and be transported to another place where they can play against a computer or another person that they don't know. Video games burn little to no calories and add not only to the obesity problem, but also to mental and social problems that our society also has to deal with.

We need to find a solution and find one quickly to help combat the growing problem of childhood obesity. We need to get kids outside to play. We, as humans, are designed to play, run, and be active. It is not natural for a child to sit still for hours at a time. But this is what our high tech life styles demand. Children are designed for activity and if we can get them active, we are well on our way to solving the childhood obesity problem.

About the Author
Dean Novosat writes about the problems and solutions for obesity and weight control at http://www.obesityantidote.com Obesity Antidote

The Link Between Salt and Childhood Obesity

2008-04-27T03:43:00.000-07:00

by Dick Moss

Childhood obesity has become a major problem among today's youth. While inactivity, fatty foods, and supersizing have been cited as reasons for this epidemic, there's a less obvious factor that is lurking in our food. Salt. That's right, the high salt content of our foods may be a cause of obesity.

HOW SALT INCREASES CALORIE CONSUMPTION

Here's how it works. Salt makes you thirsty. Soft drinks are the drink of choice for thirsty children and adolescents, and half of the soft drinks they consume tend to be sugar-sweetened. Such sugar-sweetened soft drinks contain excess calories that contribute to obesity.

These findings were revealed in a recent study on the link between salty foods, soft drinks and obesity, published in the American Heart Association's journal, "Hypertension."

THE STUDY

The researchers examined a seven-day dietary record of 1688 British children and adolescents, aged 4 to 18 years. Fluid and salt intake was measured and a number of factors such as activity levels were controlled and monitored.

It was found, as has been reported in other studies, that those who consumed more salt also consumed more fluids. It was also found that sugared soft drinks were the preference for thirsty children and adolescents and accounted for over one-third of their total fluid intake. So increased salt intake produced an increase in the consumption of calories via sugared soft drinks. More salt equaled more calories.

Most of the salt was ingested in salty meals and snacks, with only 10-15% of the salt coming out of the salt shaker. Processed foods are notoriously high in salt and are a staple in many family meals.

THE EFFECT ON EXCESS BODY WEIGHT

It was estimated that reducing the salt intake of UK children by half (a decrease of 3 grams, or one-half teaspoon, of salt per day) would result in an average reduction of 2.3 sugar-sweetened soft drinks per week per child. That's a reduction of 224 calories per week per child, or an average of 3.3 pounds per child per year! Five years of reducing such consumption and the average child would be carrying 16 fewer pounds!

DO THESE FIGURES RELATE TO NORTH AMERICA?

These results are extremely relevant to North American children. It has been found that sugar-sweetened soft drink consumption among American children is similar to that of children in the United Kingdom.

OTHER RISKS OF SALT

Salt is a well-known contributor to high blood pressure - a risk factor in heart disease and stroke. Studies have shown that a reduction in salt intake will also produce a drop in blood pressure in children.

REFERENCES

1. Feng J. He, Naomi M. Marrero and Graham A. MacGregor, "Salt Intake is Related to Soft Drink Consumpion in Children and Adolescents: A Link to Obesity? Hypertension (American Heart Association), March 1, 2008.

2. Wang YC, Gortmaker SL, Sobol AM, Kuntz KM. Estimating the energy gap among US children: a counterfactual approach. Pediatrics. 2006.

About the Author
Dick Moss (dm@peUpdate.com) is the editor of Physical Education Update - a website that keeps physical educators and coaches up-to-date on over 40 sports, fitness, coaching, health and physical education topics. The website provides a free newsletter, blog and free articles. Check it out at: http://www.peUpdate.com