North Carolina has unveiled a new program called "Be Active HOPS" that uses a blend of media, technology, and physical activity to help kids get more exercise.

"The program uses vibrant video presentations using music and graphics to lead students through exercise sessions, celebrities who appear as the video instructors - they coach, encourage and inspire kids to get moving... [and] a variety of activities and expertise that physical education instructors love."

A four-month impartial study of the Be Active HOPS program found that the program provides a more efficient use of physical education class time than traditional methods. Read more at WNCT.com.

Wellspring Academy of the Carolinas is a year-round boarding school for overweight and obese teens. Wellspring Academies are the world's most effective programs for weight loss. Designed for children, teens, and young adults ages 11-24, students at our Academies demonstrate the best documented outcomes of any non-surgical weight loss intervention for any age group.

There's also a summer camp option in North Carolina - Wellspring Adventure Camp North Carolina is the most fun, most effective summer program for weight loss and behavioral change ever developed for children and younger teens.

Labels: activity, exercise, technology

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois has announced a new campaign to address the state's issue of childhood obesity.

"BCBSIL will provide funding to bring together, strengthen, and advance existing programs and organizations that educate children and families about and promote proper nutrition, exercise and healthy lifestyles."

An estimated 21 percent of Illinois children are overweight or obese and 18 percent are at risk of being overweight. Read more at www.prnewswire.com.

Labels: education, insurance, nutrition

The International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO) is asking food and soft drink manufacturers to adopt global standards on marketing their products to children and adolescents. A draft of the standard was developed by the International Obesity Task Force, the policy arm of the IASO.

"The proposed code would require a ban on all advertising of junk food and caloric soft drinks to children under 16 years old on television up to a 9 pm watershed and complete restrictions on internet promotions of junk food to children, where children's online games are often used as selling techniques. The use of celebrities and cartoons, already forbidden in Ireland, would also be prohibited."

Members of the IASO acknowledge that the global ban would not immediately bring an end to the problem of childhood obesity. It would, however, raise awareness that this is a serious problem worldwide. Read more at Scoop.co.nz.

Labels: advertising, marketing, soft_drinks

Using a device that limits computer and TV time might help your child lose weight, according to a new study from the University at Buffalo in N.Y.

Dr. Leonard Epstein, a professor of pediatrics, studied 70 overweight children who watched TV and played video games at least 14 hours a week. He gave a monitoring device to half of their parents in order to gradually reduce "screen time" by 50 percent. The group with the monitors lost more weight compared to the control group.

This study appears in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Labels: computers, screen_time, TV

Mississippi is often ranked 1st or 2nd in childhood obesity. In an effort to get scales moving in the opposite direction, former Miss Mississippi contestant Catherine Carter helped develop an exercise program called "You Gotta Move."

"[Carter] says this is important because it educates children about the importance of daily exercise, and it shows them at an early age that it is fun to be fit and healthy. Pediatricians are reporting more frequent cases of obesity related diseases in children such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol."

You Gotta Move was created for use in kindergarten through 2nd grade classrooms. The DVD contains exercises that kids can do right at their desks. Read more at WLBT.com.

Labels: activity, exercise, schools

Now that low-carb diets are decreasing in popularity, people are beginning to rediscover the many benefits of pasta. Once touted as something to be avoided, the right kind of pasta is an excellent addition to a healthy nutrition plan.

"On the plus side, pasta supplies a sustained energy release thanks to its low glycemic index. Foods with a low GI are broken down slowly in the body and release their carbohydrate (glucose) gradually into the bloodstream. As a result, they can help you feel full longer."

Whole-grain pasta also helps you consume more minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber. It's now possible to find pasta that has been fortified with Omega-3 fatty acids, which are believed to help prevent heart attacks. Read more at TheGlobeandMail.com.

Labels: carbs, healthy_eating

Eating breakfast may help teens stay slim, according to a new study from the University of Minnesota.

Researchers surveyed 2,216 students in middle school and high school in 1998, and again five years later. Teens that did not eat breakfast were five pounds heavier, exercised less, and made more unhealthy food choices throughout the day than those who ate breakfast regularly. More boys than girls skipped breakfast - 19 percent compared to 14 percent.

This study appears in the journal Pediatrics.

Labels: healthy_eating, unhealthy_food_choices

Minnesota's Public Health Finance Division has voted against a measure that would require "obesity checks" for the state's schoolchildren. The plan would have monitored childhood obesity by collecting body-mass index information during the school year.

"The biggest worry from those who objected: The numbers could shame overweight children and teenagers. 'They know in the third grade that they're fat. They know that,' said Rep. Neil Peterson, R-Bloomington, who said he has female relatives with eating disorders. 'Now you're going to line 'em up in class and do monitoring so you reinforce that.'"

The bill's sponsor argues that the information would not be made public, but would instead be used to determine how and where efforts against childhood obesity are focused. Read more at WCCO.com.

Labels: legislation, schools, shame

Researcher Phoenix Gilman refers to low-fat diets as "myths". She cites not only the benefits of eating healthy fats like fresh cheese and eggs, but also the fact that healthy fats don't trigger insulin - which has to be present in order for the body to store fat.

"Though the low-fat diet has clearly not worked, the fear of eating healthy fat still runs rampant... However, those who follow Gilman's research are proving where the truth really lies. Her clients are losing weight - and keeping it off; reversing their type 2 diabetes; improving thyroid function... and achieving healthier cholesterol panels..."

Gilman goes on to say that low-fat diets often include too many carbs and too much sugar. Yogurt, low-fat milk, and even some fruits contain only 'simple carbs' - the same kind of sugar that's found in most candy bars and triggers insulin production. Read more at SnackandBakery.com.

Want to learn more about diets and weight loss programs? Visit the Weight Loss Help Directory for resources and information on how to lose weight and get healthy.

Labels: diet, fats, healthy_eating

About one in every 200 Americans who underwent surgery for obesity last year was a teenager, according to statistics from a study done in Oregon. This translates into roughly 1,000 teens that had either laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding or permanent gastric bypass surgery in order to lose weight last year.

Teens experience about half the complications from such surgeries that adults do; however, no one knows if the weight loss achieved through stomach stapling or bypass operations will be permanent. The Legacy Good Samaritan Obesity Institute in Portland, Ore., is tracking patients to determine the long-term results.

Dr. Reginald Washington, a Denver pediatric cardiologist, believes that such surgeries are not the solution. "I don't think this should ever become a common treatment for childhood obesity," he said. "We haven't developed an ideal program for a treatment for childhood obesity."

Dr. Philip Wu, a pediatrician with the Kaiser weight-management initiative, said that the surgeries do not "normalize" childhood obesity. "Kids are not little adults," he said. "We need to know what happens to them ten years down the line. If it's only going to get you one or two or three years, then you backslide - is it worth it?"

Labels: complications, gastric_bypass, obesity_surgery

Between 2003 and 2007, the state of North Carolina lost more than $10 million in its child-nutrition programs, going from a $5.6 million profit to a $5.7 million loss. Officials say the loss was primarily caused by increased costs associated with introducing healthier foods into school meal programs.

"Schools began offering healthier a la carte items in cafeterias, but those items cost more, Hoggard said. For example, the cost of 240 regular cookies is about $41, but the cost of 240 reduced-fat, whole-grain cookies is about $55. And those healthier items don't sell as well..."

Lynn Hoggard, section chief for child nutrition in North Carolina, estimates that it could cost between $15 million and $20 million to implement the necessary nutrition changes. Read more at StarNewsOnline.com.

Labels: healthy_eating, nutrition, schools

As obese teens and their parents try to find weight-loss solutions that will work long-term, some are turning to surgery as what they consider a "last resort." Though some doctors are hesitant to perform the surgery, others have seen the benefits.

"'It's very appropriate for a select group of kids,' says Reginald Washing, a Denver pediatric cardiologist and past co-chairman of the American Medical Association's childhood obesity task force. 'This is not an end to treatment. It's a way to get started. I don't think this should ever become a common treatment for childhood obesity.'"

Though surgery can help an obese teen lose weight, she must also make adjustments to her eating and exercise habits in order for the surgery to have long-term benefits. Read more at OregonLive.com.

Labels: gastric_bypass, long_term_weight_loss, obesity_surgery

Are teens overly caffeinated? A new study from the Canadian Health System found that the average teen might take in over 245 milligrams of caffeine per day, nearly five times the recommended limit of 50 milligrams. Teens are drinking more "energy drinks" and "designer coffees," along with caffeinated sodas. According to a study at Johns Hopkins, one cup of coffee per day is all it takes to develop a caffeine dependency.

Nutritionists and other health experts worry about the effect of caffeine on developing bodies, especially when caffeinated drinks replace healthier ones like milk or juice. A study from the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that over 76 percent of children under 5 and 90 percent of children ages 6 to 8 ingest caffeine on a daily basis.

Pediatrician Janis Mendelsohn says no child under 8 years old should have caffeine. "They don't exercise as much, and they are using it as a stimulant," she said.

Labels: caffeine, development, nutrition

A collection of studies recently published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that, in the fight against childhood obesity, the odds are not in our favor.

"A study of 200,000 television commercials aired on shows popular with the teen audience found that more than one quarter of them were for fast food, sweets, and beverages... If you're looking for an explanation for our 'childhood obesity epidemic,' the constant barrage of marketing in support of products that literally feed that epidemic might be a good place to start."

But parents have some ammunition of their own, especially because they can determine what foods are and are not allowed in the home. Choosing fruits and veggies for snacks, and limiting after-dinner snacks are just two ways that parents can fight back. Read more at CalorieLab.com.

Labels: advertising, media_influences, studies