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

For the third year in a row, Londonderry (NH) Middle School is holding a silent auction aimed at raising money for the schools wellness programs. Entertainment and sports tickets and museum packages are included among the auction items.

This year's auction is set for tomorrow, Dec. 1, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., in the school.

"This is the third year that the Londonderry School District has taken steps to tackle the problem of childhood obesity, the Derry News reported. The middle school was applauded for its efforts by representatives from the Foundation for Healthy Communities and Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield last year."

The Londonderry wellness committee meets several times a year to brainstorm ideas for helping kids lives healthy lifestyles, the paper reported. The committee's most recent initiative, 5-2-1-0 encourages kids to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, cut their TV and computer time to two hours a day, spend one hour a day engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity, and reduce their consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks to zero.

Labels: schools, middle school, wellness

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Despite its reputation as a health food, fruit juice is full of sugar and children should avoid drinking it, according to several new research studies.

The researchers say that juice has more calories, sugar and salt per ounce than sugared sodas. Fruit juice is also full of fructose sugar, which may increase the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

• One study done in 1997 found that preschool children who drank at least 12 ounces of juice a day were three times more likely to be overweight or obese.
• A 2006 study found that each extra glass of juice a day caused the 970 children in the study who were overweight or obese to gain an extra pound each year.
• However, other studies have found that children who drink juice tend to have healthier diets overall, and tend to eat breakfast. These habits are linked to maintaining a normal weight.

"Both sodas and fruit juices are going to promote equal weight gain," said Kimber Stanhope, a scientist at University of California, Davis.

Dr. Charles Billington, a researcher at the University of Minnesota agrees. "There is no need for any juice at all in the modern diet, he said. It's pretty much the same as sugar water."

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under six years old drink no more than one two-to-four ounce serving of juice a day. Older children should have no more than two such drinks a day.

Labels: nutrition, fruit juice

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A nonprofit organization called Project Measure Up is working to helping schools comply with a six-part health assessment required of all Texas schoolchildren.

Don Finley reported on the "Measure Up" effort in a Nov. 22 article on mysanantonio.com:

Project Measure Up doesn't exist just to help cash-strapped school districts with personnel costs. The real goal is to have ready access to all that raw data to get a detailed picture of the county's childhood obesity problem today and what health problems those kids will face years from now, organizers say.

We can predictively tell you within a 5 percent margin of error what our cardiovascular illness is going to be in 20 years based on these children right now. And that's really important for our future planning and legislation, said Nicole Rogers, executive director of the Health Collaborative, a group of local hospitals, health agencies and charitable foundations that sponsors Project Measure Up.

Eight local independent school districts  Alamo Heights, East Central, Edgewood, Harlandale, Judson, Somerset, South San Antonio and South Side  have accepted the group's offer of free, trained volunteers to help with the tests. The three largest districts  North East, Northside and San Antonio  have not, although discussions are under way with San Antonio, Rogers said.

It's been a process of earning trust in the schools, Rogers said.

Labels: schools, texas, fitness

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The type of weight loss plan a person chooses can affect mood, according to a study that was published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

• Dr. Grant Brinkworth and his colleagues at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia studied 106 overweight and obese people
• The study subjects were assigned to a very low carbohydrate/high-fat diet or a high carbohydrate/low fat diet.
• Both groups lost an average of 30 pounds after one year.
• However, the group on the high-fat, low-carb diet experienced negative mood changes, although they did not lose any function in cognitive ability

The group on the low-fat diet experienced improved moods, and also had no changes in cognitive function.

Labels: diet, mood

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Researchers with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that modern food can cause almost instantaneous changes in bacteria in the guts of mice. Dr. Jeffrey Gordon and his colleagues believe that changes in gut bacteria may explain the obesity epidemic.

When we switched these humanized animals from a low fat diet to a junk food diet high in fat with lots of simple sugars, the structure of the microbial community changed dramatically and very rapidly," Dr. Gordon wrote.

After their gut bacteria changed, the mice became obese on the westernized diets.

The study appeared in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

Labels: causes of childhood obesity

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A study that was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that eating a meal quickly curtails the release of hormones in the gut area that induce feelings of being full. When such hormones are decreased, people tend to overeat.

Dr. Alexander Kokkinos of the Laiko General Hospital in Greece had study participants eat the same amount of ice cream at different rates, and then took blood samples to measure their hormones. The participants who took the full half-hour to eat their ice cream had higher levels of certain hormones and tended to feel fuller than those who ate quickly.

"The warning we were given as children that 'wolfing down your food will make you fat' may in fact have a physiological explanation," said Dr. Kokkinos.

Labels: overeating, eating-habits

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Though the United States and many other nations continue to experience an epidemic of childhood obesity, some parents fail to grasp the significance of the problem. A report released by the Ontario Medical Association found that although 25 percent of Canadian young people are overweight or obese, just 14 percent of their parents reported their child was "somewhat overweight."

Amidst all the expert advice out there, one simple lifestyle change may help: let your kids walk to school.

"Most kids are being driven to school simply because their parents think its safer. Its the same fear that allows many parents to turn a blind eye to their kids screen time. Few will admit it, but Im convinced many parents are secretly thrilled their child is spending hours staring at a screen in the family room or basement, rather than running or cycling around outdoors." (Source: The London Free Press)

An increasing number of kids are falling prey to heart attacks, strokes and other life-threatening illnesses. Parents are right to be concerned about their children's safety, but overreacting to safety concerns may be result in today's children being the first generation who are so unhealthy that they wont outlive their parents.

Labels: parenting, safety, walking, healthy_living

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As we head into the holiday season, opportunities will abound for both children and parents to indulge in a wide range of seasonal delicacies. It will also provide opportunities for parents to set examples about self-control.

In a commentary that appeared in the Nov. 11 edition of the Philadelphia Tribune, Larry Lucas, a vice president for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, described ways that parents can promote healthy eating over holidays and throughout the new year:

Kids look to adults to set an example, and its more important than ever to be a positive role model. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), childhood obesity has more than doubled in the past 20 years, and the problem continues to grow. Fortunately, there are changes the entire family can make to help children stay healthy and fit.

DO: Add in more time for physical activity. Limit the amount of time your children are allowed to spend in front of the TV and computer and increase the time they spend moving around. This could include playing sports, dancing or going on walks. Also, encourage them to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy and protein and drink plenty of water. Try making these changes a family affair -- children take cues from the adults around them, so hop on a bike and grab your kids!

DONT: Drink your calories. For example, an average 12 ounce can of soda is around 165 calories. If you drink three in a day, youve added an extra 495 calories to your diet! If your average 8-year-old is on a 1,600 calorie-a-day diet, theyve already consumed nearly 30 percent of their daily allotment in just soda alone. Set the example by avoiding these high-calorie drinks yourself -- no matter how much you crave them.

Labels: advice, parents, examples

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In an effort to teach kids the benefits of healthier eating, Baltimore City Public Schools have implemented Meatless Mondays. Food served in school cafeterias on these days is strictly vegetarian.

"The goal of the Meatless Monday campaign is to introduce consumers to meals that can reduce their carbon footprint and improve their health," Virginia Messina reported in her Oct. 4 Seattle Vegan Examiner article. "Tony Geraci, director of the school systems Food and Nutrition Department said the program is meant to inspire people to understand that there are other meal options than just meat and potatoes."

The Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Center for a Livable Future has recognized the Baltimore City Public Schools as the first school system in the U.S. to observe Meatless Mondays  a campaign that was initiated by Johns Hopkins back in 2003, Messina reported.

Labels: schools, vegetables, lunches, vegetarian

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With childhood obesity continuing to plague nations throughout the world, a wide range of causes and solutions are being explored. Recently, a team of researchers from the University of California-Davis studied the type and frequency of commercials on childrens networks.

The UCD study appeared in the November/December edition of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. A Nov. 4 press release included the following details about the research team's findings:

• When compared to television for a general audience, children's networks in this study exposed young viewers to 76 percent more food commercials per hour than did the other networks, with the Saturday morning 7-10 a.m. time slot being more saturated with food commercials.
• Out of 5,724 commercials recorded, 1,162 were food-related, with 91.2 percent of food promotions in English, and 8.7% in Spanish. Only 1 commercial was bilingual.
• Overall, nearly 1 in 5 advertisements was for a food or nutrition-related product, with 5.2 food advertisements presented every hour.
• Fast-food restaurants, sugary food, chips/crackers, and sugar-added beverages collectively accounted for more than 70 percent of food commercials.
• 34 percent of the commercials were for ''food on the run,'' fast-food restaurants and convenience food.

"Approximately 7.7 food commercials per hour appeared in programming on the children's networks," the release notes, "which is approximately one food commercial every 8 minutes."

Labels: television, commercials, advertising

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According to an Oct. 28 article by Debra Alban of CNN, members of the Latino community are facing an "uphill battle" in the effort to reduce rates of childhood obesity:

When she was about 8, Frida Sepulveda developed dark folds of skin around her neck. It's a well-known warning sign of type 2 diabetes. Frida's mother, Blanca Sepulveda, who has watched other family members struggle with diabetes and obesity, was "devastated" to see her daughter experience similar health problems.

The San Diego, California family is among a disproportionately high number of Latino-American families with overweight and obese children.

According to the 2007 National Survey of Childrens Health, 16.6 percent of Latino high school students were obese and 18.1 percent were overweight. The corresponding national averages for high school students were 13.3 percent obese and 15.8 percent overweight.

Labels: childhood_obesity, prevention, latino

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Dr. Thomas Wadden, Ph.D., professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania has been given the George A. Bray Founders Award for his work to fight obesity. He received the award at the 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Obesity Society in Washington, D.C.

An Oct. 27 article by Margie King of Examiner.com provided the following information about the professor's award:

Dr. Waddens principal research is on the treatment of obesity by such methods as lifestyle modification, very-low-calorie diets, exercise, medication and surgery. He has also investigated the metabolic and psychosocial consequences of obesity and weight loss, publishing over 220 scientific papers and book chapters.

Dr. Waddens most recent book is Obesity: A Guide for Mental Health Professional, which he co-authored with Albert J. Stunkard and Robert I. Berkowitz. He also serves on the National Institutes of Healths Clinical Obesity Research Program.

Labels: prevention, treatment, award

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Childhood obesity has often been associated with the failure of young people to get up and get active -- but a new study from China reports that sleeping in on weekends and holidays may actually help young people stay slim..

• Researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong studied more than 5,000 children ages five to 15 years old
• The researchers discovered that overweight children tended to get less weekend and holiday sleep than did those at normal weight.
• The overweight children in the study also spent more time doing homework and watching television, which may also be risk factors for being overweight.
• Previous studies have linked irregular sleep/wake schedules and insufficient sleep with being overweight.

What is unique about this study is that it is the first to show that extending sleep on weekends may help with avoiding weight gain, said Kristin Knutson, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago.

The study by Professor Yun Kwok Wing is published in the journal Pediatrics.

Labels: sleep

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