Do you feel discouraged that you can't seem to get your kids to sustain vigorous exercise for longer than a few minutes? A new study suggests that even 15 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise can reduce the risk of obesity, by as much as 70% in boys and 39% in girls.

Researchers from the University of Bristol in England found that boys and girls who increased their exercise even a little bit had a corresponding decrease in fat mass, which over time, may help to prevent obesity.

While the researchers were surprised that such a small change could provide dramatic results, they caution that further studies are needed to draw a conclusion regarding exercise and obesity prevention. They also remind parents that diet plays a very important part in obesity prevention, too.

Labels: exercise, fat camp, prevention

Do you ever wonder why sugary, unhealthy snack foods and cereals marketed to children come in such wild colors, like bright blue, purple, green and red? It may be because what we see affects how we believe something tastes.

A recent study reported in the Journal of Consumer Research found that people identified a difference in taste - even when none existed - when the color of a beverage was changed. Using Tropicana orange juice, researchers asked participants to describe the taste difference between two cups of the beverage, which were identical except that one was colored a brighter orange with food coloring. The overwhelming majority identified the brighter orange juice as tasting sweeter.

Yet when two glasses of orange juice were presented with no color change between them but with one glass sweetened with sugar, the majority of study participants were unable to discern a difference in taste.

Labels: nutrition, research, tastes

It's easy to blame schools for the childhood obesity epidemic. After all, until recently, unhealthy snacks and beverages were available to children both during the school day and after school. But according to new research from Ohio State University, school provides a structured environment similar to the workweek for adults, in which students have less access to food, healthier choices of food, and more activity than they do at home.

The study used data from a survey of over 5,000 students throughout the United States and found that BMI measurements of overweight children rose more than three times faster during summer vacation than during the school year. Interestingly, those with racial and ethnic predisposition for obesity had higher BMIs than those without racial and ethnic predisposition only during the summer - not during the school year.

Study authors conclude that while schools can do a better job in teaching children about healthy food and activity choices, the major part of the childhood obesity problem lies outside of school.

Labels: body_mass_index, education, schools

The Los Angeles Times report that as little as 15 minutes of exercise every day could be enough to keep kids from gaining weight.

According to British and U.S. researchers, a study of 5,500 children wore "a motion sensor device showed that those who exercised more were less likely to be obese - and that short bursts of intense activity seemed to be the most helpful."

Read more about this study online.

Labels: exercise, research

Dr. Fuad Ziai, a pediatric endocrinologist in Oak Lawn, Illinois, prescribed Adderall, a drug typically prescribed to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD to an 11-year-old patient who was 30 pounds overweight. Adderall is in the amphetamine family and are well-known appetite suppressants.

"Ziai's approach to treating obesity - he says he has prescribed Adderall for weight loss to about 800 children and teens - raises an important ethical question: Has the obesity epidemic among children become so severe that it's OK to prescribe a drug not approved for weight loss when the drug can have serious, sometimes life-threatening side effects?"

The child's parents say they'd do again – they say that their son avoided developing diabetes because of the Adderall.

But, the Food and Drug Administration warns that some who take Adderall develop psychiatric problems and pediatricians say it's wrong to prescribe Adderall for weight loss. Read more at CNN.com.

Labels: diabetes, ethics, medications

Teenagers skip fruits and vegetables when they are in middle school and then again in late adolescence, according to a new study by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

A research team led by Nicole Larson surveyed more than 2000 children in 1999 and then again in 2005. The team found that children in early adolescence tended to skip fruits and vegetables. There was also a second decrease in consumption of those foods in late adolescence.

The authors conclude that we need to develop "more effective interventions for increasing fruits and vegetable consumption during these critical developmental periods."

This study appeared in the February 2007 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Labels: adolescence, healthy eating, nutrition

Last week, parents in South Dakota were invited to learn how to help fight the child obesity epidemic. Organizers of the Healthy Lifestyles for Kids Conference in Sioux Falls say the information taught was applicable to every parent - whether their child is fat or not - because today's kids are exposed to so much junk food.

"Registered dietician, Jessica Black, said, 'We're not focusing necessarily on parents of overweight children. That's a special concern, but really we're focusing on the majority of parents who may currently be at a healthy weight who would want their children to be healthy throughout their lifespan.'"

Nutritionists urge parents to be take a bigger part of their child's diet - parents need to be aware of what their kids eat at school, at after-school programs, and at friends' houses. Read more online.

Labels: nutrition, parents, pro-active

Now that schools are finally tackling the unhealthy lunch problem and banning sweetened drinks from vending machines, we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Or maybe not. Many children bring packed lunches to school, with the majority falling short of healthy by a long shot.

If your child carries her lunch to school, how does it measure up? Ideally, you should pack small portions of foods from a variety of food groups: fruit and vegetables, nuts and meat, grains (preferably whole-wheat) and low fat dairy. Try some of these kid-pleasing ideas:

• A slice of turkey in a whole wheat tortilla wrap with lettuce and tomatoes
• Wheat crackers with low fat cheese
• Whole wheat pita with hummus
• Sliced apples with low fat peanut butter (if school doesn’t have a nut free policy)
• Cut up raw veggies with low fat dip
• Small salad with sliced strawberries on top
• Deviled egg
• Small carton of low fat yogurt
• A handful of almonds or other nuts or soy nuts
• Soup or baked beans kept warm in a small thermos.

There should be no more (and probably less!) than one treat in the lunch box. Fresh fruit or a pudding made with low fat milk should suffice.

Labels: healthy eating, nutrition, schools

Another outgrowth of the childhood obesity epidemic is that surgeons are seeing more and more overweight and obese children in the operating room. In fact, a recent study of records from over 6.000 pediatric surgeries performed at the University of Michigan hospital in Ann Arbor revealed that nearly a third of them were performed on overweight or obese children.

The problem with this? Those who are overweight or obese have a greater frequency of problems during and after surgery. One complication that is more prevalent in overweight people, including children, is post-surgical wound infection.

Labels: health problems, obesity surgery

A new study concludes that children are less active in summer and therefore gain weight during those months.

Researchers from Ohio State University and Indiana University studied the growth and weight records of 5380 kindergartners and first graders. They found that increases in children's body mass indices (BMIs) doubled during the summer months but fell to normal during the school year.

Dr. Betsy Keller, a professor of sport sciences at Ithaca College in New York, commented on the study: "The big question in my mind is what are the parents doing with these kids during the summer? Unless they're paying attention to their child's level of activity and diet, with each passing summer they are just adding to the risk of them becoming overweight. These are five year-olds, after all. They're not going to the grocery store."

The study appears in the April issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

Labels: exercise, rejection, summer_camp

Adolescents who are very healthy get daily exercise, watch less than two hours of television per day, eat 5-6 servings or more of fresh fruits and vegetables, and eat very little fat. How does your child measure up to these standards?

If your child is lacking in one or more of these areas, he's not alone. In a study published in a recent issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, nearly 80 percent of 11-15 year old children watch too much TV, exercise too little, eat too much fat and eat too few fruits and vegetables.

The best way to turn this around? Be a good role model. The researchers found evidence that parents' health behaviors were associated with children's health behaviors.

Labels: exercise, healthy eating, TV

If your overweight child seems to be overly sensitive to anticipated rejection from others due to her appearance, beware. When self-worth is based entirely upon appearance, it's harmful for both mental and physical health, according to new research by Lora Park, Ph.D., a University at Buffalo psychologist. Sensitivity to rejection can lead to development of excessive dieting, compulsive exercising, binging and purging—as well as lowered self-esteem.

The good news is that you can do something to reduce the damaging effects of thinking negatively about appearance by reminding your child of her personal strengths. Daily affirmations of personal strengths help people cope with insecurities regarding appearance, says Park.

Another intervention that helps, according to Parks' research, is reminders that there are those who care. Reminding your child that many people love him can improve self-esteem and minimize sensitivity to rejection.

Labels: mental_health, physical_health, rejection