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.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Lack of Exercise Linked to High Blood Pressure in Teens

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

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

Monday, November 26, 2007

High Blood Pressure Undiagnosed in Children and Teens

A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that most cases of hypertension in children and teens are going undiagnosed. Hypertension has become more prevalent due to the dramatic rise in childhood obesity.
"The study reported that of 507 children and adolescents with hypertension, just 131 had a diagnosis of that condition or high blood pressure in the medical records. The study also found that if a pediatrician did not recognize the problem, it would be years before it was diagnosed and treated, resulting in unnecessary end-organ damage."
Because children who are overweight or obese are especially at risk for high blood pressure, it should be checked at every doctor's office visit.

Labels: heart_disease, hypertension, health_care

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments