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.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Pediatric Kidney Stones Linked to Too Much Salt

A study in the journal Hypertension suggests that more children are developing kidney stones because they are eating too much salt:
  • Sodium causes calcium in the urine, which in turn is linked to the formation of kidney stones.
  • Children ages five to ten years old are consuming 50 percent more sodium than they did ten years ago, according to the new research.
  • Most small stones pass on their own; however, ones over six millimeters often require surgery.
  • Kidney stones recur in 67 percent of pediatric cases.
Pediatricians advise parents to reduce their children's salt intake and increase the amount of water they drink. In addition to reducing the risk of kidney stones, following a healthy diet also increases the likelihood that a child will avoid a host of other problems related to childhood obesity.

Labels: diet, kidney_disease

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Childhood Diabetes Increases Risk for Kidney Problems

Children and teens that are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are five times more likely to develop kidney disease than people who develop diabetes as adults. The risk of kidney disease is equated, not with age, but with how long someone has had Type 2 diabetes.

"Citing an example [Robert Nelson] explained, 'A 15-year-old person with 10 years of type 2 diabetes has the same risk of kidney disease as a 55-year-old with 10 years of type 2 diabetes.'"

Diabetes is becoming increasingly common among young people as obesity rates rise. While kidney disease can be prevent through proper management of diabetes, Mr. Nelson also emphasized the importance of reducing the prevalence of childhood obesity.

Labels: diabetes, obesity_rates, kidney_disease

Posted By: Stefanie Hamilton 1 Comment