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

A recent study has discovered a link between gestational diabetes and obesity. Researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (CHR) in Portland, Oregon found the onset of gestational diabetes during pregnancy significantly increases the child's risk of becoming obese if the diabetes isn't treated.

"Hillier and colleagues analyzed the medical records of 9,439 women who gave birth between 1995 and 2000 in Portland, Ore., Washington State and Hawaii. They discovered that tots of pregnant women with untreated high blood sugar levels were 89 percent more likely to be overweight and 82 percent more likely to be obese by the ages of five to seven years... than were children of moms without gestational diabetes."

Teresa Hillier, the study's lead author, advises pregnant women to make sure their ob-gyn is screening for blood sugar levels and that women diagnosed with gestational diabetes stick to their treatment program. Read more at SCIAM.com.

Labels: research, diabetes, health_risks

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The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, based in Princeton, New Jersey, has committed $500 million to reversing the effects of childhood obesity. The foundation has announced that it hopes to reach this goal by the year 2015.

"If we don't act to reverse this alarming trend, we're in danger of raising the first generation of American children who will live sicker and die younger than the generation before them. Preventing obesity during childhood is critical, because habits that last into adulthood frequently are formed during youth."

The RWJ Foundation will take a three-pronged approach to the fight against obesity; building an evidence base, encouraging action in communities and schools, and advocating for the prevention of childhood obesity.

Read more at RWJF.org.

Labels: schools, community, advocacy

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Some Long Island school districts, in an effort to combat childhood obesity, have banned cupcakes and other sugary foods in the classrooms. At least eight school districts will no longer allow unhealthy treats at classroom birthday celebrations.

"The strict diet rules could also affect such school traditions as bake sales and teachers handing out candy as classroom rewards. In place of cupcakes, school districts are considering healthier foods and games to celebrate birthdays."

Some parents, however, feel the step is too extreme and are calling the move "Big Brother paternalism".

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Labels: nutrition, healthy_eating, schools

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Teens with sleep apnea are more likely to be overweight and at risk for heart attacks, strokes and diabetes, according to a new study by Case Western University. Sleep apnea is a breathing disorder in which soft tissues in the throat collapse temporarily during sleep.

Dr. Susan Redline and her colleagues studied 270 teenagers and found that those with sleep apnea were six and a half times more likely to have metabolic syndrome, a condition liked with being overweight. A person has the syndrome if he or she has three of the following: abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, high triglycerides and low levels of "good" cholesterol.

This study suggests that sleep apnea may contribute to metabolic syndrome, because "sleep stress" may lead to elevated blood sugar and blood pressure levels. This study appears in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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Labels: sleep, stress, health_factors

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A government task force that has focused on food marketing to children is releasing a report on September 19th in which it's expected to acknowledge the advertising self-regulation that's taking place at the nation's largest food companies.

"The actions they've already announced are expected to be a big part of the report: Set nutritional guidelines for the foods they will market to kids under 12 in shows targeted to children. Some have also agreed to limit or end host selling of snack or fatty foods by familiar TV characters, and encourage exercise and healthy diet both through programs in the community and storylines in shows."

The Food and Beverage Industry, by imposing its own regulations, is hoping to avoid government imposed regulations like the ones in Britain that ban all snack ads in and around children's television shows.

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Labels: food_companies, marketing, adolescence

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Last year, the Council of Better Business Bureau's Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative was created as a means of self-regulation for the Food and Beverage Industry and its advertising to children. Today, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, Edward Markey submitted letters to five leading food companies which are not currently part of the Initiative.

"'I am writing to you to ascertain whether your company will join the CBBB initiative and commit to implementing marketing restrictions that meet or exceed those of the other companies that have made pledges, and if so, your timeline for doing so,' wrote Chairman Markey on Wednesday."

Participants in the initiative adopted certain nutrition standards that determine which foods and beverages will and will not be marketed to young children. There are currently 12 companies involved, include Coca-Cola, Hershey, and Kellogg. Among those not involved are Nestle, Dannon, and ConAgra.

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Labels: food_companies, advertising, marketing

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For 40 years, the number of children and teenagers with high blood pressure and prehypertension remained relatively unchanged. But beginning in 1988, rates began a steady increase.

"For instance, from 1988 to 1994, 2.7% of kids and teens studied had high blood pressure and 7.7% had prehypertension. From 1999 to 2002, the percentage of kids with high blood pressure had risen to 3.7% and the percentage with prehypertension had reached 10%"

The high blood pressure and prehypertension rates began increasing in conjunction with childhood obesity. Rebecca Din-Dzietham, MD, PhD, MPH warns that, if the higher rates are not reversed, there could be an "explosion" of cardiovascular disease in young adults.

Labels: health_risks, blood_pressure, cardiovascular_disease

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Much of the attention surrounding childhood obesity is focused on school-aged children. But studies show that just as many pre-school aged children are obese or overweight.

"Because 2- to 5-year-olds are rarely responsible for their own diet and exercise choices, this statistic suggests that parents are incorporating their own unhealthy habits into their children's routines, thereby creating a chain of obesity that has proven difficult to break."

A recent study shows that obesity programs aimed exclusively at parents have better results because the parents have such strong influence over their kids' diet and exercise. This would seem to indicate that it's the parents, rather than the kids themselves, who have the greatest chance to influence current obesity rates.

Labels: parents, influences, pre-school

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A study that was conducted in 2003-2004 and is being published in the journal Pediatrics found that advertising during kids' TV shows was almost entirely comprised of junk food ads.

"A nine-month survey of the nutritional content of food ads in 170 top-rated [according to Nielsen] TV shows with kids 2-17 concluded that 97.8% of those food ads viewed by young children (2-11) were for foods with poor nutritional content, and 89.4% of ads for teens (12-17)."

The survey did not include fast food advertisements. The senior Vice President of the American Association of Advertising Agencies has argued that the findings are in opposition to a study conducted by the FTC but, while the FTC study found that ads for junk food hadnt increased significantly in 30 years, it also found that 95% of all ads were for restaurants, fast or junk foods.

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Labels: advertising, junk_food, TV

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For years, family physicians have warned parents against giving their kids too much fruit juice because it was linked to obesity. But a recent study has found that 100 percent fruit juice with no sugar added does not contribute at all to childhood obesity.

"Other studies, meanwhile, have found that many fruit juices provide powerful health benefits, [Pamela] Rockwell notes. Research in recent years has identified ways that beverages such as pomegranate, orange and cranberry juices can help to prevent or cure diseases."

Parents still need to be careful what they give their children. Most fruit juice drinks are not 100 percent natural, and many have high concentrations of corn syrup, which is connected to many health issues.

Labels: healthy_eating, junk_food, diseases

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An obesity prevention program called 5-2-1-Go! has been found to not only help prevent obesity, but reduce the risk of eating disorders among middle school girls. About 4% of girls who did not participate in the program developed disordered eating and weight loss methods, compared to just 1% of girls who did participate.

"The results suggest that it may be possible for school-based programs to help prevent obesity and eating disorder symptoms in adolescent girls."

The authors of the study feel further research is needed to determine if other obesity programs produce the same or similar results.

Labels: schools, prevention, girls

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Most teens exercise too little and eat too many unhealthy foods - according to a study of Australian teens. Despite all of the warnings about obesity and its health risks, little is changing about the eating and exercise habits of today's adolescents.

"The survey, published in the September issue of Health Promotion International, found most students did less than one hour of physical activity a day. 'We found that only 14 percent of students engaged in recommended levels of physical activity,' [Dr. White] said."

The Australian department that oversees health issues recommends at least an hour of moderate physical exercise every day, and no more than two hours sitting in front of computer and television screens. Read more at News.com.au.

Labels: exercise, activity, unhealthy_food_choices

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Vending machines are as common in schools as notebooks and gymnasiums. But the food offered in vending machines is often equally high in both calories and fat grams. Now, Solana Beach-based natural food company YoNaturals Inc. has offered free vending machines and installation to local schools.

"The company's biggest target is public schools. The company hopes to clear out unhealthy snacks on campuses and contribute to the fight against childhood obesity and early-onset diabetes."

The vending machines will contain natural and organic food and snacks ranging in price from 75 cents to two dollars.

Read more at SDBJ.com.

Labels: healthy_eating, schools, vending_machines

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Recent studies have found that diet foods and diet drinks may actually increase a child's risk of becoming overweight or obese, as may a parent's efforts to "push" healthy foods. The unfortunate result of these types of weight-control tactics is that children lose the ability to regulate their own eating.

"What seems to happen when children are exposed to this sort of parental behavior, says Goyder, is that internal hunger cues become confused. Pressure to eat certain foods and to avoid others leads to 'uninhibited eating and weight gain, particularly among girls' as they eventually fail to recognize satiety."

Instead, experts suggest that parents lead by example, eating healthy food in reasonable quantities and enjoying desserts (also in moderation). Read more at TimesOnline.co.uk.

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Labels: parenting, healthy_eating, influences

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