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

Children under five years old need fat and carbohydrates, but so many parents worry about their children becoming overweight that they are restricting them to low calorie diets.

• A government study of nursery schools in 29 British councils found that some were offering children inadequate amounts of food because of pressure from parents.
• Some parents wanted their children to eliminate red meat, whole milk, and desserts, and yet the very young children cannot yet obtain adequate nutrition from fruits and vegetables alone.

"It is important that parents do not apply healthy eating messages designed for the whole population to small children," said Prof. Helen Crawley. "Poor nutritional status in toddlerhood is linked to permanent cognitive damage and a child never reaching their full potential, as well as shorter stature in adulthood."

Labels: diet, nutrition, parenting, health, toddlers

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Nutritionist Joann Bruso has photos of a McDonald's Happy Meal posted on her blog. A strange choice for a nutritionist? Not really. For the last 12 months, Bruso has had the same Happy Meal sitting on a counter in her Colorado home, waiting for it to decompose. Shes still waiting.

On March 3, Bruso posted a "Happy Birthday" message to the Happy Meal -- and a warning to parents who have made fast food a regular part of their family's diet:

The next time youre tempted to purchase a Happy Meal for your child, think about these photos. Food is SUPPOSED to decompose, go bad and smell foul&eventually. ...

Food is broken down into it's essential nutrients in our bodies and turned into fuel. Our children grow strong bodies, when they eat real food. Flies ignore a Happy Meal and microbes don't decompose it, then your child's body can't properly metabolize it either. Now you know why its called "junk food."

I think ants, mice and flies are smarter than people, because they weren't fooled. They never touched the Happy Meal. Children shouldnt either.

Labels: diet, health, fast food

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The United States Preventative Task Force (USPTF) has recommended that children who are obese enter into intensive weight loss programs, citing studies which have proven the programs are effective. In response to these recommendations, the Obesity Action Coalition released a statement asking employers and insurers to begin paying for such programs.

"The U.S. Preventative Task Force recommendations are an important step in sending a message to insurers and the public that we must both prevent and treat obesity. The fact that the vast majority of parents do not have the ability to seek help for their childrens obesity in programs like the Task Force recommends, because their insurance excludes it, has always been a major gap in efforts to address obesity." [Source: PR.com]

Healthy weight loss programs such as the ones outlined in the USPTF's recommendations could significantly reduce instances of Type 2 diabetes and other weight-related conditions in children.

Labels: health, insurance

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Not getting enough exercise puts teenagers at risk for high blood pressure, according to a new study in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

• Researchers in Canada studied 1,300 students (ages 12 to 13 years old) over a five-year period.
  
• They kept kept track of the children's exercise and measured their body fat and blood pressure regularly.
  
• When the children failed to exercise, their blood pressure readings tended to increase.

The recommended amount of exercise is 30 minutes of low-level intensity exercise such as walking every day, and 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three times a week. The researchers noted that half of all Canadian children do not get sufficient exercise.

Labels: health, teens, exercise, hypertension

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Two new reports on diabetes in the United States indicate that the problem is becoming more prevalent throughout the nation, and especially among individuals who are severely overweight:

• According to research from the University of Chicago, the incidence of diabetes is expected to double in the next 25 years but the cost of treating it will triple, Spending will increase from $113 billion a year to $336 billion in 2034, when an estimated 44 million Americans will have the disease.

• The second study from Loyola University Health System found that one in five people with diabetes are morbidly obese. Morbid obesity is defined as having a body mass index over 40. A 5'2"person weighing 218 pounds and a 6'2"person weighing 311 pounds are considered morbidly obese.

"The greatest increase in obesity has been among diabetics who are morbidly obese," said Dr. Holly Kramer, author of the report.

Type II diabetes, which was previously referred to "adult-onset", is considered a preventable disease.

Labels: health, diabetes, morbid obesity

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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: health, obese-kids, cholesterol

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A national survey found that about 13 percent of American adults have diabetes, and 16 percent of teenagers have "pre-diabetes." The survey, which was conducted by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also revealed that 40 percent of diabetes cases remain undiagnosed.

Pre-diabetes is a condition characterized by high blood sugar that is not quite in the diabetic range.

Dr. Griffin Rodgers, director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, said that the new survey has "grave implications for our health care system. Of paramount importance is the need to curb the obesity epidemic, which is the main factor driving the rise of type 2 diabetes."

Labels: health, diabetes, teenagers

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A heart rate of 80 or more beats per minute increases your chances of diabetes and obesity, according to two studies from Northwestern University in Illinois and Kurume University in Japan.

The NU researchers studied Chicagoans over a 33-year period; the Japanese team followed 614 people from rural farm areas starting in 1979. Both found that a rapid heartbeat predicts obesity and diabetes.

This study is published in the American Journal of Hypertension.

Labels: health, predictors, heartbeat

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Childhood obesity is the top health concern for kids in 2008, according to the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. Childhood obesity outranked both smoking and drug abuse to claim the top spot. Approximately 35 percent of adults surveyed indicated childhood obesity as their top overall health concern for children. In 2007, childhood obesity ranked third.

However, many parents do not accurately perceive weight problems in their children, according to a recent study by the American College of Gastroenterology. The study gathered information from 46 parents of children ages 5-9 with a body mass index (BMI) in the 70th percentile or higher. The children were measured for height and weight during a regular pediatric visit and then parents were mailed a series of questionnaires. Parents were asked to answer questions about their perception of their child's current weight as well as whether they thought their child might be at risk for obesity in adulthood.

Although all of the children involved in the study had high BMIs, less than 13 percent of the parents surveyed perceived their children to be overweight, and less than one in three parents thought their children had above-average or very high risk for adult obesity.

Parents who may be questioning whether their child is overweight have access to a variety of online resources, including BMI calculators and a wealth of helpful articles. Weight loss camps, or "fat camps," can be immensely beneficial in teaching young people healthy habits and nutritional information. In addition, it is recommended that parents seek the professional opinion of a physician when considering weight loss measures for children.

Labels: health, parents, denial

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A Canadian study found that 14 percent of adolescent boys and 20 percent of girls rate their health as "poor."

Researchers from Queen's University in Ontario used data on 2,384 students in the 9th and 10th grades to determine what factors influence teen health and what government programs could improve it. They found that teen health was a complex interaction between factors such as risk taking, family income and the degree to which an individual teen connects to others.

Low-income teens were twice as likely as their more affluent peers to engage in risky behavior including taking drugs, smoking tobacco, using alcohol, and not using seat belts or condoms.

"Our analysis actually states that social capital, affluence, and risk taking all influence health, but these things do not work together," said the study's author, Owen Gallupe. "To improve adolescent health, programs should reduce risk taking [and] improve social capital and levels of affluence."

This study appears in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

Labels: health, research, income

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BodyWorks, was launched by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health in 2006. The program trains instructors on health and fitness, with the goal that these instructors will the information back to their communities and start local programs.

"Girls 9 to 13 years old who are overweight or obese are referred to BodyWorks through their pediatrician, or by word of mouth. Parents and caregivers attend 10 weekly 90-minute sessions, and girls are expected to show up for at least three. The goal is to give parents and caregivers 'hands-on tools to make small behavior changes to prevent obesity and help maintain a healthier weight.'"

Though local communities have to pay for trainers and facilities, the training materials are provided free of charge through the DHSS. There are currently 1,700 BodyWorks instructors in 43 states, and about 700 parents and caregivers have also completed the program. Source: Daily Times

Labels: health, fitness, community

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Here's yet another reason to help your children achieve and maintain a healthy body weight: Having a large waist means you're more likely to depressed, according to a new study from the University of Alabama.

Researchers studied longitudinal data on 5115 people ages 18 to 30 years old to try to determine which comes first -- a person's depression or his or her large waist.

"We found that everyone as a whole gained weight during the 15-year period of time we examined," said Professor Belinda Needham, lead author of the study. "However, the people who started reporting high levels of depression increased in abdominal obesity and BMI at a faster rate than those reported fewer symptoms of depression in year five. "

This study appeared in the American Journal of Public Health.
 

Labels: health, depression

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More children are developing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)  because more children are overweight, according to a study from Kaiser Permanente health care system.

The study found that obese children have a 40  higher risk for the condition than average, and moderately overweight children increase their risk by 30.

Symptoms of GERD include heartburn, persistent cough, asthma, and inflammation of the larynx. A small percent of those who have the disease will develop cancer of the esophagus, which is currently increasing faster than any other kind of cancer.

 

Labels: health

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When obese children are admitted to hospitals, most of the doctors do not record that they are overweight. Thus these children miss out on procedures such as screenings for cholesterol and diabetes, and education about nutrition and exercise.

• Dr. Anshu Gupta of the Virginia Commonwealth University, studied 80 children under age 18 who were admitted to a pediatric unit in a city hospital during a period of ten weeks.
• Although 30 of the children were obese and nine were overweight, doctors recorded such information about only four children.
• Only one child was referred to a clinic for obesity outpatient treatment.

Dr. Gupta notes that his study is problematical because obese children may be hospitalized at higher rates than children of normal weight.

The study was presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.
 

Labels: health, hospitals, doctors

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Recent analysis of medical information from nearly 700,000 overweight and obese young people found that they’re at a higher risk for acid reflux disease than are their healthy-weight counterparts.

“They found moderately obese children and teens were 30 percent more likely to have GERD [gastro-esophageal reflux disease]. Extremely obese kids and teens were 40 percent more like to have GERD than those at normal weight… The link between obesity and GERD has been known for adults, but doctors didn’t know whether children were suffering from this too.” [Source: CNN]

One of the most serious issues with acid reflux is that the longer a person has it the more likely that person is to develop esophageal cancer. The risk for acid reflux is one more in the long list of reasons why overweight and obese youth need help achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

 

Labels: health, obese teens

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If a person is overweight in high school, he or she is more likely to be unemployed or on welfare during his 20s and 30s. Overweight teens are also more likely to suffer from chronic health problems such as diabetes or high blood pressure by age 40, when compared to people who gained weight as an adult, according to a new study from the University of Michigan.

• Lead author Professor Philippa Clarke of the Institute for Social Research studied 5,000 high school graduates who had been tracked for 20 years.
• Her new study compared those who were at a healthy weight when they graduated from high school, but gained weight over time to those who were heavy as teenagers.
• Dr. Clarke took into consideration factors such as lower socioeconomic status as a teenager, and still found that being overweight contributes to economic problems as an adult.
• Overweight teens who got good grades in high school were able to do better economically as adults.

The study appeared in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
 

Labels: health, teenagers, economics

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Obese teenagers who haveType 2 diabetes show subtle abnormalities in their brains when they undergo Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRIs). They also perform more poorly on tests that measure intellectual functioning, memory and spelling, according to a new study from New York University Langone Medical Center.

"Subtle changes in the white matter of the brain in adolescence may be a result of abnormal physiology that accompanies Type II Diabetes," said Dr. Antonio Convit, lead author of the study.

This study appears in the journal Diabetologia.

Labels: health, brain_activity, diabetes

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A new study from the Medical College of Georgia concluded that overweight youth who are at risk for diabetes are also more likely to have weak bones.

The research team studied 140 children ages seven to 11 years old and found that one in three had signs of diabetes. This group had 4 to 5% less bone mass, a measure of bone strength.

"While overweight children may have more bone mass than normal weight kids, it may not be as big or strong enough to compensate for their larger size," said lead author Dr. Norman Pollock.

The study appeared in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.
 

Labels: health, diabetes, bone_density

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A recent survey of Canadian doctors found that many of them feel they don’t have the resources they need to fight childhood obesity. They also warned that if the problem isn’t taken seriously, obesity-related health problems could soon overwhelm the health-care system.

“More than 800 family physicians and pediatricians participated in a survey focused on childhood obesity management. Among the top recommendations physicians listed diets with more fruits and vegetables and greater physical activity. But the physicians also pointed to barriers in treatment, including a lack of government-funded dietitians for referrals.” - Source: The Star Phoenix

Dr. Yoni Freedhoff says the first step in dealing with childhood obesity is for both parents and kids to acknowledge weight issues. Studies have shown than some parents underestimated their kids’ weight, which means they’re not even aware that there’s a problem that needs attention.

 

Labels: health, pediatricians, doctors

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According to a Dec. 1 article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, civic leaders in Atlanta are engaged in a dual battle against asthma and childhood obesity. One component of this effort is to increase awareness when Atlanta's air quality is poor, so that teachers and parents can make alternative plans to keep kids active:

[Nov. 29] Tuesday at Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Mayor Kasim Reed and Elder Bernice King joined with Mothers & Others for Clean Air to launch a new school initiative that helps battle both asthma and obesity.

The school Air Quality Index flag program will make air quality visible to the entire school community with large, colored flags that fly daily reflecting the day’s air quality. Green is good; yellow means moderate; orange is unhealthy; and red is very unhealthy.

The flag program visually alerts children, teachers, coaches, administrators and parents about Atlanta’s smog each day by highlighting good air quality days as well as bad ones. ... Physical education teachers and coaches can make schedule and location changes to reduce exposure and reduce risk when air quality is poor.

 

Labels: health, asthma

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Blue Cross and Blue Shield  has developed a program to help doctors in their efforts to treat childhood obesity.  The program was first tested in North Carolina, where one-third of all children are obese or overweight.

The Pediatric Obesity and Diabetes Prevention Pilot Program will be active in ffive states in an effort to help reduce childhood obesity and prevent future cases of diabetes.

The following is from a press release announcing the program:

The toolkit materials display healthy messages from The Good Health Club, a group of animal characters.  The Good Health Club encourages kids to:

• Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day
• Limit screen time to 2 hours or less
• Get at least 1 hour of physical activity
• Limit sweetened drinks to 0

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults.  Obese children or teens are at risk for health problems like heart disease and diabetes – the two leading causes of death in the United States.  The prevalence of obesity among children ages 6 to 11 has more than doubled in the past 20 years from 6.5 percent in 1980 to 17 percent in 2006.1

 

Labels: health, doctors

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