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

A recent study from the University of Michigan Health System has found that obese children are more likely than normal-weight children to have problems during surgery. The study, which compared surgical experiences of more than 2,000 children, was published in the March issue of the journal Anesthesiology.

"Nearly 9 percent of obese children experienced difficult mask ventilation, compared with 2 percent of normal-weight children. Seventeen percent of obese children in the study experienced major oxygen desaturation (decreased oxygen in the blood), compared with 9 percent of normal-weight children."

Obese children also had greater occurrences of airway obstructions. Read more at Newswise.com.

Labels: complications, surgeries

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Rena Wing, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown University, believes it takes more than just a switch to skim milk if people are going to effectively address the issue of obesity. Instead, it requires an entire change in lifestyle.

"'There's no way around it,' Wing said. 'If you want to lose weight and keep it off, you need to really change your lifestyle, particularly if you're overweight or have a family history of obesity.'"

Necessary lifestyle changes include a substantial increase in daily physical activity and a dramatic (but healthy) reduction in caloric intake. Often, the calorie reduction can happen when a person simply changes the types of food she eats, such as choosing fruits and vegetables instead of chips and cookies. Read more at EurekaAlert.org.

Labels: healthy_living, behaviors, lifestyle

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

A child who is overweight or obese is likely to be the subject of teasing at school, and possibly even among family members. Unfortunately, that won't help the child become healthier. But there are ways you can work with your child to help him or her live a better lifestyle.

"Tell your child that you are concerned about her health, because certain health problems are tied to poor eating habits and lack of exercise. Ask if she would like your assistance in improving her health, since all family members would benefit from healthier habits."

Offer to help your child make a list of ways he can improve his health. If he's old enough, teach him to cook. Also, be sure that family members are not teasing your child about his or her weight, as that can make matters worse. Read more at GrandmasHealthyKidsClub.com.

Labels: shame, embarrassment, positives

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

As the problem of childhood obesity becomes increasingly serious, more parents are reading labels to choose the right foods for their kids. Now, a team from Nationwide Children's Hospital has developed a website that calculates a food's "health".

"Keeping track of all that information can be confusing, which is why http://www.snackwise.org was designed to do it for you. Dr. Robert Murray, Director of the Center for Health Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children's Hospital says it's information some parents have gone too long without."

A parent who wants to test snacks or other foods simply needs to go to the website and enter some information from the food's label. The website then puts the food in one of three categories: red - choose rarely, yellow - choose occasionally, and green - the best choice." Read more at MediLexicon.com.

Labels: calories, snacks, tools

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Some parents or teachers, in an effort to push overweight kids to lose weight, may resort to shame-based tactics; making them feel embarrassed or guilty for being overweight or having unhealthy eating habits.

"For 30 years, I have treated overweight people who feel terrible about themselves (no matter what their stellar achievements) because of their weight and who desperately struggle to slim down. The last thing they need is more shame about their bodies."

Instead, people - including children - who struggle with their weight need to retrain their minds and bodies to think and act differently around food. Read more at HeraldTribune.com.

Labels: self_esteem, shame, embarrassment

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have found a strong link between sleep duration and childhood obesity.

"For the study, Wang, Chen and colleague May A. Beydoun, also a postdoctoral fellow at the Bloomberg School, reviewed 17 published studies on sleep duration and childhood obesity... The results of the analysis showed that children with the shortest sleep duration had a 92 percent higher risk of being overweight or obese compared to children with longer sleep duration."

Sleep recommendations varied between studies, but researchers settled on recommendations of 11 hours for children under 5, 10 hours for children 5 to 10, and 9 hours for children 10 or older. Read more at MediLexicon.com.

Learn about junk sleep and how insomnia is common among teens at ByParents-forParents.com.

Labels: sleep, healthy_living, lifestyle

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Beginning Wednesday, February 6th, a program called "Shapedown" will be offered to families in the Buffalo, New York area who are concerned about childhood obesity. The program offers a holistic approach to childhood obesity, involving the whole family in classes about eating and exercise.

"Children and parents working together is what sets the program apart, [Katherine] Streeter said. 'We don't just point the fingers at the kids and say, "You're the problem."... She said that the family is part of the feeding relationship and that the program asks the question: Who is in control?"

Parents have the greatest influence over what their kids eat, so the program teaches them how to be strict enough to manage what's eaten and how often, without becoming so strict that kids sneak "junk" food just to be rebellious. Read more at BuffaloNews.com.

Labels: holistic, healthy_living, lifestyle

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

While parents are working out at the Cooper Aerobics Center in McKinney, Texas, their kids are getting a workout of their own. The center has created "The Corral", a kids' play area complete with interactive video games using both Nintendo's Wii and the Cybex Trazer.

"Both machines incorporate movement with game play. The Wii uses a wireless wand that lets kids do everything from play tennis and baseball to race a cow over rows of scarecrows. The Trazer uses a sensor on a belt buckle that gets kids to jump, dodge and throw in games where kids compete with a virtual soccer goalie and jump and reach to keep exploding bombs from falling on them."

Fitness director David McGarry said the idea for The Corral came as a response to growing childhood obesity concerns. He wanted to create something more than just a daycare center. So far, The Corral is a big hit among both kids and parents. Read more at McKinneyMessenger.com.

Labels: exercise, video_games, gyms

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

For the third year in a row, The Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) will launch a Kids in the Kitchen initiative designed to help fight childhood obesity. The initiative will begin in March, in conjunction with National Nutritional Month.

"More than 230 Junior Leagues participate in this grassroots initiative to empower children to adopt healthy lifestyles. Organized in 2006, Kids in the Kitchen responds to the staggering statistic that nearly one-third of children and adolescents in North and South America will be overweight by 2010... "

Cartoon Network plans to support the program will public service announcements, event-activation kits and an online animated educational game. Read more at MediLexicon.com.

Labels: healthy_eating, healthy_living, influences

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

As the British government continues trying to tackle the problem of childhood obesity, plans are in the works to limit the amount of time children spend playing video games.

"Popular consoles such as the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii can be fitted with devices to restrict the amount of time children use them and parents could be given advice on how to activate these limiters."

Schools may also begin enforcing nutritional standards, not just on school-provided meals, but on meals that students bring from home as well. Read more at Telegraph.co.uk.

Labels: exercise, video_games, activity

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Teaching good eating habits when children are young in instrumental in helping them develop healthy lifestyles and lifelong positive eating habits.

"Unfortunately, some parents over-think what to do about their child's eating habits, which give way to practices like forcing kids to clean their plates. And some parents don't think about nutrition at all, letting their kids eat a lot of junk food and drink a lot of juice. So, it's important to find a balance."

Helping your child develop healthy eating habits can start when she's still an infant. By introducing fruits and vegetables early, children will be more likely to eat them when their older. Read more at Pediatrics.About.com.

Labels: healthy_living, parents, lifestyle

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

British media regulator Ofcom stopped short of a total ban on junk food advertisement aimed at children. It's a move that has disappointed the British Heart Foundation and consumer groups, which called for a complete ban on all junk food advertising before 9pm.

"Under the plans, celebrities and characters from films or TV programs would not be allowed to take part in any food or drink commercial targeted at the under-10s. Adverts showing excessive consumption would also be discouraged. Ofcom research indicates TV adverts have a 'modest direct effect' on children's food choice."

Ofcom goes on to say, however, that exercise, family eating patterns and school policies play a greater role than advertising. Read more at BBC.co.uk.

Labels: advertising, junk_food, influences

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments