Childhood Obesity - Do you have an overweight child? We offer tips to help your child lose weight and get fit!

There is yet another reason to help your daughter to maintain a healthy weight as she enters puberty: hyperandrogenemia. This condition is one in which there is an abnormally high amount of androgens, a type of steroid hormone - and girls who are obese as they enter puberty have an increased risk of developing it.

The authors of a recent study on obesity and hyperandrogenemia, reported in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, hope that their findings will help to increase awareness of the link between obesity and this hormonal disorder. Because androgens control the development of masculine characteristics, girls who have hyperandrogenemia may have irregular or delayed periods and excessive facial hair. They are also more likely to develop polycystic ovary syndrome later in life, which is a condition that affects fertility.

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Latinos and their kids have been particularly affected by the growing problem of overweight and obesity. Hispanic children are on pace to become one of the most overweight part of the US population. Because obesity rates tend to have a greater effect on racial-ethnic minorities and the poor Hispanic families need to watch their children's diets carefully. Also, Hispanic adults tend to experience high rates of obesity so they need to be aware of genetic tendencies. Since teenage weight is often predictive of adult weight it is very important for parents and health care providers to address issues of overweight and obesity as early as possible. Read more about what can be done to prevent childhood obesity in Latinos from the Hispania News.

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A study in the journal Pediatrics says that using TV as a reward for exercise may help overweight children move more and snack less. Researchers found that when TV privileges were made contingent upon exercise time, overweight children increased their physical activity by 65 percent, reduced TV time by almost two hours a day and lowered their overall caloric intake.

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Like most people, you may not know that there is a difference between appetite and hunger. But there is. When we eat food, it may be because we're hungry - or because we need to satisfy our appetites.

To clarify the difference, hunger is a physical sensation, a need to eat. If you can remember a time that you were too busy to eat and skipped a meal, you probably experienced the gnawing, stomach-growling feeling that alerted you to find food - fast.

Appetite, on the other hand, is governed by many factors other than physical need. When you're frustrated, angry or sad, and a bowl of ice cream sounds soothing, it's your appetite speaking. The same goes for that bowl of jellybeans sitting on the counter that seems to be calling to you.

You can stay in charge of your eating by recognizing the difference between appetite and hunger, and listening to your hunger signals. Many nutritionists use the "hunger scale" to help their clients learn more about when they should eat and when they should stop eating. The scale is as follows:

1. Extremely hungry, gnawing hunger pangs
2. Very hungry
3. Stomach growling, beginning to feel hungry
4. Mildly hungry
5. Not very hungry but not full
6. Satisfied and comfortable
7. Beginning to feel full
8. Starting to feel very full
9. Uncomfortably full, stomach ache from food
10. Painfully full, need to lie down

When using the hunger scale, ask yourself how you feel each time you want to eat something. If your hunger is a "4" or higher, try to find something else to do. Have a drink of water; sometimes the perception of mild hunger is actually thirst. Wait until your hunger is a "3" or lower to eat.

While eating, consider your hunger signals, too. Try to stay between a 3 and 6 on the hunger scale, and you'll avoid consuming more food than you need.

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Recently, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), a watchdog group that advocates for good nutrition and food safety, sued the fast-food chain KFC in an attempt to prevent the company from using trans fats in its foods. This action was taken despite the fact that restaurants are not obligated to list trans fat amounts in their foods, because CSPI believes that consumers have a right to know how much of this heart-disease causing substance they are consuming. KFC food, like many fast-food choices, is very high in trans-fat. A three-piece extra crispy chicken meal contains 15 grams of trans fat, 13 grams more than one should consume in an entire day.

What is trans fat and why is it so bad for you? This type of fat is generally man-made, formed when vegetable oils are hardened into margarine or shortening. Sometimes this is referred to as "hydrogenated oil" or "partially hydrogenated oil." Many food companies use trans fat in their foods to extend shelf life and enhance flavor and texture. Foods such as bakery items, fried foods, cereals, waffles, and crackers often contain trans fat. There is also a small amount of naturally occurring trans fat in butter and milk products such as cheese, and in meats like beef and lamb

Trans fat, like the saturated fats found in animal products, increases blood levels of LDL cholesterol, known as "bad cholesterol." It also decreases the amount of HDL or "good cholesterol." These effects contribute to clogging of the arteries, and are linked to heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular problems. Recent research has also linked trans fat to increased weight gain, particularly in the abdomen, a body area where excess fat contributes to many health problems.

Today, it is easier to know how much trans fat you are eating than in the past. In January of 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered that all packaged foods must list on the label the amount of trans fat in grams, unless the amount per serving is less than 0.5 grams. Many food companies have voluntarily stopped using trans fats in their products, too.

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It's not unusual for children, especially during the teen years, to eat out - often at fast food restaurants - without your knowledge. A quick burger and fries on the way home from school or while hanging out with friends is a common practice among kids. In fact, a survey of over 600 students in the second, fifth, eighth, and eleventh grades done by researchers from the Cardiovascular Research and Education Foundation in Wausau, Wisconsin revealed that about 23% of these children reported eating out (other than at school) at least four times per week.

In comparing those children those who ate out four or more times weekly to those who did not eat out as frequently, the researchers found some alarming differences in the restaurant-goers: higher blood pressure, lower levels of high-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "good" cholesterol, and less sensitivity to insulin, an early sign of progression toward Type 2 diabetes.

What can a parent do to help children to avoid dietary related health problems? Encourage your child to eat healthy meals at home, as much as you can. And be a good role model by avoiding temptation to do the fast food run when youre in a hurry. Teens are more difficult to monitor. While you cant follow your teen child around, talk to him about the health risks of eating out. Examine menus in his favorite fast food hangouts and help him to select healthier food choices for those times he does eat there.

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It's summertime and families are on the go with vacations and outdoor events. Here are some tips for healthy eating:

• Take healthy foods along to the beach, so you're not tempted to buy high calorie, high sugar foods at the concession stand. Hard-boiled eggs, cut up fruit and veggies, and low-fat cheese chunks are great snack choices.
• Don't forget low calorie beverages - water is best.
• Invest in a small refrigerator for your car so that breakfast and lunch foods can be packed on vacation. Bring cans of tuna to combine with a dollop of plain yogurt for tuna salad on whole wheat bread. Add apple slices and a few pretzels for some crunch, and you can have a lunch picnic at a scenic roadside park.
• Take the kids to the local farmer's market and check out the yummy summer fruits and vegetables. Plan a meal together using your purchases.
• Have a backyard barbeque with grilled veggie kabobs. Try red, yellow and green bell peppers, onions and mushrooms, zucchini squash with a small amount of lean meat such as chicken.

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If you had to guess whether watching too much television, not exercising, or sleeping too little is most likely to contribute to childhood overweight, what would you answer? Few people guess that those children who don't get enough sleep may be more at risk for overweight than if they watch too much television or forgo exercise.

A recent study reported in the International Journal of Obesity studied a group of 422 children between the ages of 5 and 10. Researchers questioned parents about lifestyle habits, such as average amount of time spent sleeping, watching television, and exercising. The study concluded that those who slept only 8-10 hours per night were much more likely to be overweight or obese than those who slept 12 or more hours per night. Children who watched television more than three hours daily were twice as likely to be overweight or obese than those who watched less TV and those who didn't exercise were only somewhat more likely to be overweight - but neither of these had as significant of an impact on body weight as skimping on sleep.

Why is this? Previous research has shown that a lack of sleep is associated with a lower level of leptin, a hormone that helps to reduce hunger, and increased levels of ghrelin, a hormone that increases hunger.

The study authors point out that more research is needed to confirm their findings, since this study was based upon interviews with parents rather than scientific measurements, such as electroencephalograms (EEGs) to measure actual time spent sleeping. That is, parents may have reported time of going to bed rather than time of falling asleep.

The amount of sleep time recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics varies by age, but in general, 5-6 year olds need 10-12 hours sleep per night. Sleep needs decrease slightly with age; teens need an average of about 9 hours sleep nightly.

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