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

The My Overweight Child blog will help you keep informed about the latest research, findings, and resources available to parents of overweight or obese kids. There are many knowledgeable people working on the increasingly dire problem of childhood obesity - and we want to give parents a place where they can check in regularly to see the latest studies and tips available to help you help your child lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

We invite you to add your comments - if you have feedback for the blog, would like some specific topics covered, or you just want to share your experience as a parent dealing with childhood obesity.

Friday, February 02, 2007

Family Support, Closeness Predicts Whether Teen Girls Will Exercise

Teenage girls notoriously dislike gym class and exercise. However, a new study shows that they are more likely to be physically active if they come from a close family that supports their need to exercise.

Researchers studied over two hundred high school girls from Baltimore, MD. Eighty-three percent were African American, a group at higher risk for overweight and obesity than the general population. Family intimacy, sharing and support were important predictors of whether the girls were physically active.

The researchers expected neighborhood violence and crime to affect the girls' levels of activity, but that was not the case.

The National Institute of Health funded this study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, January 2007.

Posted By: Aspen Education Group