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

Researchers from the University of Minnesota have discovered that the type of food that is available in your neighborhood influences how much you weigh.

Dr. June Chen analyzed 54 studies of neighborhoods and their food outlets, such as fast food restaurants, supermarkets, and convenience stores. She found that residents of neighborhoods with many supermarkets and few convenience stores were at less risk for being overweight. Low-income areas were more likely to have few supermarkets and many fast food restaurants, and residents there were more likely to be overweight.

This study appeared in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Labels: fast food, neighborhoods, influences

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The Scots, Irish, Welsh, and Brits are turning to a team of superheroes to fight childhood obesity.

The four "Food Dudes," celebrated in DVDs and school materials, gain their super powers by eating fruits and vegetables. These nutritious foods enable them to save the Life Force and fight the evil Junk Punks. The Punks want to deprive the world of energy by stealing all its fruits and vegetables.

"Something serious had to be done," said Professor Fergus Lowe, one of the creators of Food Dudes. "Diets in Great Britain are terrible, and childhood obesity is absolutely skyrocketing."

Dr. Lowe said his research indicates that children need to taste a new food 10 to 15 times before they learn to like it. The Food Dude program rewards children who eat fruits and vegetables with stickers and other prizes. Parents receive a home-pack with logs to monitor their child's eating as well as informational materials.

Dr. Lowe said the Food Dude program is a way to counteract all the junk food advertising aimed at children. Over 3,300 Irish schools are using Food Dudes, and it is being introduced in Wales and Scotland.

Labels: healthy_eating, role_models, influences

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Overweight teenagers have overweight friends and parents, who in turn may influence them to remain heavy, according to a new study from RTI International.

Teens and their friends were likely to be close to the same weights, regardless of their socio-economic status, smoking status, and household characteristics. Overweight girls, in particular, were more likely to have overweight friends. The researchers used data on children in the seventh to 12th grades that had been collected during the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.

Dr. Justin Trogdon, the author of the study, said the results help to explain why so many more teenagers remain overweight.

This study appears in the Journal of Health Economics.

Labels: families, influences, peers

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A consortium of health organizations in Australia is funding a series of advertisements aimed at mocking junk food ads that are being run during the Olympics.

"'When obesity, and particularly childhood obesity, is one of the biggest health issues facing our country, sporting champions should be promoting positive messages about diet, exercise and a healthy lifestyle, not exploited to promote fast foods,' [hockey gold medalist Jenn] Morris said."

The ads will feature Morris and basketball legend Luc Longley. Source: PerthNow

Labels: advertising, influences, marketing

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In the continuing battle against childhood obesity, researchers are reminding parents that they have the greatest influence over their children's eating habits.

"'We know that parents have tremendous influence over how many fruits and vegetables their children eat,' says Debra Haire-Joshu, Ph.D., a professor at George Warren Brown School of Social Work. 'When parents eat more fruits and vegetables, so do their children...'"

A five-year study in rural Missouri found that programs like Parents as Teachers, in which parents are taught how to incorporate healthy eating and healthy eating lessons into everyday life, were highly effective in helping parents and children learn healthy eating habits. Source: Washington University in St. Louis

Labels: eating-habits, parents, influences

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Over the past 12 months, consumer and children's advocacy groups have successfully lobbied for tighter restrictions on junk food advertising during kids' television shows. Now, many of those same groups are targeting Web advertising.

"A new report, commissioned by the Berkley Media Studies Group, part of the Public Health Institute in Berkeley, Calif., focuses on methods of advertising foods to kids that have become particularly popular during the past two years, such as spreading messages through social networks, and urges lawmakers to restrict junk food advertising to kids online."

The report will be presented to members of Congress, along with recommendations that ads for unhealthy snacks on kids' websites be restricted. Source: BusinessWeek

Labels: advertising, influences, marketing

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Michael Phelps has done it; he's won more gold medals in swimming than any other Olympic athlete in history. Beginning mid-September, his face will appear on cereal boxes of ... Frosted Flakes. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from health experts.

"The announcement yesterday that Phelps... would grace Frosted Flakes and Corn Flakes boxes instead of the traditional athlete's choice of Wheaties left many perplexed. Frosted Flakes has three times the amount of sugar as Wheaties and 1/3 the fiber."

Those things don't matter much to someone like Phelps who consumes 12,000 calories a day, but to parents and pediatricians concerned about childhood obesity, it sends the wrong message. Source: New York Daily News

Labels: role_models, influences, breakfast

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Research that was recently presented at the BC Dairy Foundation Milk & Cookies Event shows that a parent's feeding style can influence a child's weight and attitude toward food. Force feeding, offering rewards (like dessert), restricting foods, or restricting nothing at all are methods that, though well-intentioned, can backfire.

"Children are more sensitive to the satiety cues than adults and know when to stop eating. When you force feed, you disrupt your child's natural satiety cues, which may lead to overeating later. You also create a lifelong aversion or dislike for the foods you force your child eat. Force feeding can also be associated with negative behaviors such as sneak eating."

If there are foods that you'd like to restrict, make sure your child knows that even though you're choosing not to have those foods in your house, other houses will have them and they're okay to eat. Also, lead by example by eating the foods you want your child to eat. Source: CNW Group

Labels: attitudes, influences, feeding_style

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For the third year in a row, The Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) will launch a Kids in the Kitchen initiative designed to help fight childhood obesity. The initiative will begin in March, in conjunction with National Nutritional Month.

"More than 230 Junior Leagues participate in this grassroots initiative to empower children to adopt healthy lifestyles. Organized in 2006, Kids in the Kitchen responds to the staggering statistic that nearly one-third of children and adolescents in North and South America will be overweight by 2010... "

Cartoon Network plans to support the program will public service announcements, event-activation kits and an online animated educational game. Read more at MediLexicon.com.

Labels: healthy_eating, healthy_living, influences

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British media regulator Ofcom stopped short of a total ban on junk food advertisement aimed at children. It's a move that has disappointed the British Heart Foundation and consumer groups, which called for a complete ban on all junk food advertising before 9pm.

"Under the plans, celebrities and characters from films or TV programs would not be allowed to take part in any food or drink commercial targeted at the under-10s. Adverts showing excessive consumption would also be discouraged. Ofcom research indicates TV adverts have a 'modest direct effect' on children's food choice."

Ofcom goes on to say, however, that exercise, family eating patterns and school policies play a greater role than advertising. Read more at BBC.co.uk.

Labels: advertising, junk_food, influences

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Despite all the advice out there about getting kids healthy using "interactive" video games, or "tricks" to get them to eat healthy foods, one of the best things parents can do is simply model an active lifestyle and healthy eating.

"At home, parents are a child's best role models. If you stay active and eat a balanced diet, your children are more likely to follow your lead. Here are some tips on how to influence your child's lifestyle: Keep healthier foods in the house, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low fat dairy foods, so they begin to consider it 'the norm'."

Also, encourage moderation, and limit television and computer time. Read more at WisInfo.com.

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Labels: parents, role_models, influences

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About 2,000 outraged parents joined forces with the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and persuaded the McDonald's corporation to end a Florida school district promotion. The promotion involved using Happy Meals to reward children who had good grades and attendance.

"Susan Pagan, a Winter Springs mother, raised a ruckus after her fourth-grade daughter brought home a report card from Red Bug Elementary that was emblazoned with Ronald McDonald and a plug for a free Happy Meal in exchange for good grades or attendance."

Pagan was joined in her efforts by Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, which rallied nearly 2,000 other parents from across the country. News media around the world picked up the story, and McDonald's withdrew its Made the Grade program shortly thereafter.

Labels: influences, fast_food, marketing

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Believe it or not, social setting, presentation, and even the size of the plate can all influence how much a person eats. Dr. Wanda Hollway, a specialist in eating disorders and obesity, gives advice about what to look for and how to keep eating under control at parties and other social gatherings.

"People often feel a loss of control over their food intake when they are being observed or monitored by others. They may often have a hard time saying no when others are commenting on the taste and flavor of different items or when they are being encouraged to try something they would not have chosen while alone. More often than not, they tend to eat more than they had intended."

Social gatherings are meant to be fun for adults and for kids. Enjoying food together is part of the fun and shouldn't be cut out altogether. It is important, however, to be aware of how much you're actually eating.

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Labels: stress, influences, pressures

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Teens whose mothers worked when their children were ages five to seven years old are more likely to be fat, according to a study from Bristol University in Great Britain.

If mothers work during their children's "mid-childhood" or ages five to seven years, their children have increased risk of obesity by age 16. The study found no similar link between mothers who worked when their children were under five or over seven and teenage obesity.

The authors of the study theorized that ages five to seven years are critical time in a child's life for learning healthy food choices.

A recent American study found a link between maternal employment and childhood obesity.

Labels: studies, influences, working_mothers

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A study of L.A. area communities has found that children are more likely to be obese if they live in an area with high poverty rates. The report was based on information provided by the California Department of Education for the 2004 - 05 school year.

"Among the communities with a student study group of 500 or more children, Maywood, which has a much higher poverty rate in the Los Angeles County, had the highest prevalence of childhood obesity, with 37 percent of children in that city considered obese, while Manhattan Beach, an affluent area, was found to have the lowest level of childhood obesity at 4 percent."

The availability of parks and of healthier food are keys in the fight against obesity, and poorer communities have little of either. The report recommended that planning committees incorporate health-related strategies in their decisions, improve access to and safety in recreation areas, and collaborate with schools to provide more opportunities for students to engage in physical activities.

Labels: influences, poverty, affluence

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American children and teenagers are growing up in an environment that encourages obesity, according to an extensive study at the University of Illinois/Chicago.

Researchers analyzed over 200,000 food advertisements, food choices in middle and high school cafeterias, the numbers of fast food restaurants near where young people congregate, the availability of physical education classes and other factors. They concluded, "The general environment is not conducive to a healthy lifestyle." For example, over 65% of middle schools and 84% of high schools offer sugary soft drinks, and only 20% of 17 and 18-year-old teens took physical education.

"Historically people have thought of obesity in terms of individual willpower, but there is a great abundance of environmental influence that contributes as well," said Dr. Lloyd Johnston. "Communities and schools need to look at what they are doing and try to improve it."

This study appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Labels: healthy_living, enviroment, influences

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Today, "kid cuisine" consists mostly of fried chicken, French fries, and sweet drinks like soda. One result of this unbalanced diet is that we now find ourselves in the midst of a childhood obesity epidemic. Another result is that kids no longer have an appetite for food that's actually good.

"Once they get used to these flavors, the taste threshold is set so high that fresh fruits aren't sweet enough and vegetables taste too bitter... "

Instead, parents should be helping kids discover and appreciate the taste of healthy foods that have been properly prepared. Parents need to worry less about buying foods their kids like and more about teaching kids to like the foods they buy.

Looking for more free parenting tips? Visit ByParents-forParents for free advice and tips for parents.

Labels: examples, role_models, influences

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Though maintenance programs helped children lose weight and keep it off, the long-term effects are not strong or consistent. A recent study conducted at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis also found that, when left to their own devices, kids will regain weight once a weight-loss program comes to an end.

"The researchers studied obese youngsters from 1999-2004 at a university clinic in San Diego, where [Denise] Wilfely used to teach. The children weighed at least 65 percent more than their recommended weight. All of the children in the study also had at least one parent who was overweight."

Researchers discovered that the best outcome was had by kids who changed their social groups - spending more time with kids who were active and healthy.

Labels: weight_loss, long_term_weight_loss, influences

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Much of the attention surrounding childhood obesity is focused on school-aged children. But studies show that just as many pre-school aged children are obese or overweight.

"Because 2- to 5-year-olds are rarely responsible for their own diet and exercise choices, this statistic suggests that parents are incorporating their own unhealthy habits into their children's routines, thereby creating a chain of obesity that has proven difficult to break."

A recent study shows that obesity programs aimed exclusively at parents have better results because the parents have such strong influence over their kids' diet and exercise. This would seem to indicate that it's the parents, rather than the kids themselves, who have the greatest chance to influence current obesity rates.

Labels: parents, influences, pre-school

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Recent studies have found that diet foods and diet drinks may actually increase a child's risk of becoming overweight or obese, as may a parent's efforts to "push" healthy foods. The unfortunate result of these types of weight-control tactics is that children lose the ability to regulate their own eating.

"What seems to happen when children are exposed to this sort of parental behavior, says Goyder, is that internal hunger cues become confused. Pressure to eat certain foods and to avoid others leads to 'uninhibited eating and weight gain, particularly among girls' as they eventually fail to recognize satiety."

Instead, experts suggest that parents lead by example, eating healthy food in reasonable quantities and enjoying desserts (also in moderation). Read more at TimesOnline.co.uk.

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A study from the University of Florida has found that kids of parents who are distressed or depressed often have a lower quality of life, which can hinder an overweight child's attempts at weight loss. Emotional factors caused by things like peer bullying also make it difficult for a child to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

"From the study, the researchers concluded that tending to the needs to distressed parents could be one of the best ways to help children."

Talking about quality of life also gives kids a better focus for weight loss when fears of developing health problems like type 2 diabetes don't motivate them.

Read more at AndhraNews.net.

Labels: parenting, influences, lifestyle

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In Wales, 3% more children are physically active now than were two years ago. The figures were part of the Sports Council for Wales Children's Participation Survey, which also found that parents have a powerful influence over their childrens activity levels.

"Around 54% of the children who reported that both of their parents played sport met the 5x60 target [60 minutes of physical activity, 5 days a week] compared with just 39% of children who recorded that neither of their parents played sport."

The increased popularity of things like video games, the Internet and television, which are mainly sedentary activities, coupled with parents who say they're too busy for anything but fast food means fewer and fewer kids are getting the exercise they need. Getting kids involved in sports at an early age not only helps combat obesity, but builds their self-esteem and helps them handle stress.

Read more at ICWales.ICNetwork.co.uk.

Labels: exercise, parents, influences

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Though there's no "obesity-carrying" virus, researchers at the University of California - San Diego have found that one of the most significant determining factors of obesity is one's close friends.

"The report documented that if a person became obese, his or her friends had a 57 percent higher chance of becoming obese also. If the friendship was a close one and considered mutual by both parties, that risk jumped to 171 percent."

The findings show that people are at greater risk for obesity if the overweight or obese person in their life is a close friend as opposed to a family member. The close friends influenced each other even if they werent living in close proximity. The researchers studied data from over 12,000 people that had been tracked from 1971 to 2003.

Read more at Buzzle.com.

Labels: friends, influences, relationships

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A recent paper by scientists at Yale and the University of Hawaii found that "profound and potentially lasting harm" is done to children who are stigmatized by peers and parents because of their weight.

"The study analyzes published research gathered from psychological, medical, social science, and educational databases. Over 100 studies were included that offered evidence on the associations between obesity, stigma and a variety of negative consequences..."

Negative consequences included low self esteem, social exclusion and eating disorders.

Read more at WebWire.com.

Labels: self_esteem, influences, eating_disorders

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...Do Something about Childhood Obesity

Launched in 2005, the National Institute of Health's We Can! campaign aims at equipping parents and caregivers with the resources they need to help children live healthier lives.

"Parents and caregivers are the primary influencers for this age group. We Can! offers parents and families tips and fun activities to encourage healthy eating, increase physical activity and reduce sedentary or screen time."

The We Can! web site also offers community groups and resources for health professionals. Read more online.

Labels: parents, influences, resources

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