Almost 200 professionals attended the Institute for Infant & Toddler Specialists of Indiana conference at Purdue University to share information about childhood obesity. Attendees said that parents have the biggest influence over their children's weight and that families need to exercise and get good nutrition together. Read more online.

A study conducted at Texas A&M University finds that the amount of quality time parents spend with their children has a direct relation to the rates of childhood obesity. The study also found that the amount of time spent with a child and his or her mother was more important than the amount of time spent with the father. The greatest impact was in children 9-11 years old. Teenagers (13- to 15-year-olds) were also affected, but not to the same degree as the younger children. Because of the epidemic of childhood obesity, researchers wanted to study the connection between working parents and how their stress may influence their children's nutrition. Another note the study found was that as parents' incomes rise so do their children's body mass index. Read more about the study online at http://www.emaxhealth.com/109/6962.html.

With the new school year just around the corner, Moms and Dads will once again begin packing lunches. School lunches need to be not only edible, but nutritious - not always an easy task. For younger kids, getting them to eat anything, let alone anything actually good for them, can be a challenge. For kids in middle and high school, parents need to worry about the coolness factor - what's considered socially acceptable for a teenager to consume in the presence of friends, peers, and, most importantly, the opposite sex. Learn more about packing a good, nutritious school lunch from the Post-Gazette.com.

Forbes just published a report that finds American babies are fatter than ever before. The lead researcher Dr. Matthew Gillman, an associate professor of ambulatory care and prevention at Harvard Medical School said,

"Overweight rates are going up in young children, and ours is the first study to
show that they are going up in infants, in addition to toddlers and
preschoolers."

Today's infants are 59% more likely to be overweight than two decades ago. Dr. Gillman believes that obesity prevention will most likely need to start before babies are even born. Another expert on childhood obesity said this is just another part of America's ongoing obesity epidemic. Read more from Forbes.com.

The experts at Duke Medicine in North Carolina suggest parents talk to their children about healthy eating habits now before the new school year begins. Many children may not need to be concerned about fat grams and calories, but they do need to watch portions and make healthy choices. Kids of all ages need to be introduced to a variety of foods - especially fruits and vegetables. Read more online.

Soon, cell phones may become one of the tools used to fight childhood obesity. Researchers at the University of North Carolina have begun testing cell phone text messaging as a way for kids to track diet and exercise information. In return they'd receive words of encouragement and feedback on how they're doing. Read more from WNDU.com.