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

The My Overweight Child blog will help you keep informed about the latest research, findings, and resources available to parents of overweight or obese kids. There are many knowledgeable people working on the increasingly dire problem of childhood obesity - and we want to give parents a place where they can check in regularly to see the latest studies and tips available to help you help your child lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

We invite you to add your comments - if you have feedback for the blog, would like some specific topics covered, or you just want to share your experience as a parent dealing with childhood obesity.

Monday, January 25, 2010

20 Percent of U.S. Teens have Abnormal Cholesterol Levels

One in every five American teenagers has abnormal cholesterol readings, according to a new study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The problem is particularly acute among overweight and obese youth:

Among obese teens, the abnormal cholesterol rate is 43 percent.
Among the overweight teens, it is 22 percent.
Among teens of normal weight, the percentage is 14 percent.
Boys were at greater risk than girls, with 24 percent of boys having abnormal readings, compared to 16 percent of girls.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that people under 18 years old should be screened for cholesterol if they have family histories of heart disease or high blood cholesterol, if they smoke, have high blood pressure or diabetes, or if they are overweight.

The new study was published in the Center for Disease Control's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Researchers used data on 3125 young people enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, conducted every other year

Labels: cholesterol, obese teens, overweight children

Friday, September 11, 2009

Some Overweight Kids Not Affected by High Cholesterol

Overweight children do not necessarily have high cholesterol levels, according to new research from the University of Michigan.

Dr. Joyce Lee and Dr. Matthew Davis used national data on thousands of children to find out if body mass was related to cholesterol levels. They found that if doctors screen all overweight or obese children, they would identify about half of those with abnormal cholesterol, but they would also unnecessarily test 30 percent of the children.

In July 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics advised pediatricians to screen all overweight children.

"Our results indicate that the AAP guidelines for cholesterol screenings in kids may need to be revised," said Dr. Lee. "Otherwise we may be missing high cholesterol in some kids and unnecessarily testing others."

The study appeared in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Labels: cholesterol, overweight, research

Monday, March 16, 2009

Few Kids Need Cholesterol Meds

Less than one percent of American children - or about 200,000 young people - need to take cholesterol-lowering drugs, according to a new study in the journal Circulation.

Dr. Stephen Daniels and his colleagues examined data on 10,000 children who participated in a national health survey. About 2,700 had been checked for LDL levels, and of those, between five and seven percent had elevated levels. Using guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the researchers determined that only 0.8 percent of those who were studied should take drugs that lower cholesterol.

The Academy recommended last year that even children as young as eight should take such medications if they had conditions such as obesity and high blood pressure.

Labels: cholesterol, medications

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Cholesterol's Dangers Affect Kids, Too

High cholesterol is a risk associated with obesity, and as obesity rates increase in children, so does their risk of this dangerous condition.

"When a young patient fits the risk profile, [doctors] recommend testing blood cholesterol levels with a simply finger prick. If the results are normal [they] suggest a follow-up test in three to five years."

Children who test positive for high cholesterol needs to make some immediate changes to their diet and level of activity. High cholesterol can lead to serious health issues including heart disease. Because of the risks associated with high cholesterol, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children between the ages of two and 10 be tested regularly for heart disease. Source: CNN

Labels: activity, cholesterol, diet

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Researchers Say Obese Kids Not Endangered by High Cholesterol

Researchers from the U.S. Public Health Service have conducted a study which found that cholesterol levels in obese children do not pose the risk they'd initially thought. Analysis of cholesterol levels in 10,000 kids found that just one percent of them fit the profile of needing cholesterol-lowering treatment.

"The study doesn't provide specifics for one of the more disturbing aspects of the new pediatrics guidelines: that some children as young as 8 might need cholesterol-fighting pills. LDL [bad cholesterol] readings for children under 12 weren't available."

However, the study's lead author, Dr. Earl Ford, believes results for younger children will reflect those of older children. Though cholesterol may not be an issue, researchers are quick to point out that there are many other health risks associated with childhood obesity. Source: Associated Press

Labels: cholesterol, health, obese-kids

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Doctors Allowed to Prescribe Drugs to 8-Year-Olds with High Cholesterol

Should eight-year-olds take anti-cholesterol medications? Yes, say new guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The new advice calls for doctors to screen all children ages two to ten for risk factors of heart disease (such as childhood obesity or family histories). If a child's cholesterol readings are too high, and if lifestyle changes such as better diet and more exercise do not help, then the AAP advises doctors to prescribe statin drugs - even to children as young as eight.

"We're in an epidemic," said Dr. Jatinder Bhatia, professor of neonatology at the Medical College of Georgia. "The risk of giving statins at a lower age is less than the benefit you're going to get out of it."

Others disagree, with many pointing out that because the drugs have only been around since the mid-1980s, no one is sure of the long-term effects they may have on the children to whom they are given.

Labels: cholesterol, medications, pediatricians

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Debate Rages over Children and Cholesterol Medication

An influential group of doctors from the American Academy of Pediatrics has caused a heated debate by recommending that some children as young as eight be given the cholesterol-lowering medication statins. Statins has been shown to lower cholesterol in adults, but its effects on children are not well-known.

"The authors of the recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that there is enough indirect evidence to suggest that starting treatment early makes sense in children with extremely high levels of cholesterol... They call for cholesterol testing for millions of children ages 2 to 10 who have a family history of early heart disease or have other risk factors such as being overweight or having high blood pressure."

Under the recommended guidelines, less than one percent of children would be considered for the medication. Despite that, many doctors and other medical experts warn that too little is known about how statins affect children. Others are concerned that medication will replace preventative programs that focus on diet and exercise. Source: The Morning Call

Labels: cholesterol, medications