My Overweight Child

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.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Preschoolers Don't Exercise, Eat Healthier than Older Children

Parents believe that their preschoolers eat more nutritious diets and exercise more often than school-age children do, but according to a study from the University of Tennessee, both groups behave about the same.

Dr. Hollie Raynor asked parents of 174 children ages two to 12 about their diet and leisure activities. Parents of preschoolers ages two to five reported that their children watched less television, exercised more, and ate more nutritious foods than parents of children ages six to 12 did. However, when the researchers kept track of what the children were actually doing and eating, there was little difference between the two groups.

Children with healthy weight levels watched fewer hours of television than did children who were overweight or who were at risk for developing weight problems.

This study appeared in the Journal of Nutrition.

Labels: healthy_eating, exercise, pre-school

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Parents can Break the Chain of Childhood Obesity

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

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Tooth Decay More Common Among Overweight Preschoolers

Overweight preschoolers are more likely to have tooth decay, according to a new study from the University of Buffalo.

Pediatrics Professor Kathleen Bethlin studied 65 children ages two to five years old, who had undergone extensive dental procedures. Parents answered questions about the children's eating habits.

Only 47 of the children were of a healthy weight. The 18 children who were overweight or obese had higher cholesterol and consumed over 1550 calories a day, a level above the recommended 1000 to 1400 calories for children in that age group.

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

Labels: pre-school, teeth

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 0 Comments

Friday, August 06, 2010

British Manufacturer Now offering Plus-Size Uniforms for Preschool Students

School uniforms for preschoolers now come in plus sizes in Great Britain.

Marks and Spencer will sell plus-sized uniforms for ages 3 to 16 years old.
Three-year-olds can find pants with 23-inch waistlines, a size usually worn by eight-year-olds.
The largest sizes feature waistlines up to 41 inches.

"It is a small online trial running in response to customer demand," said a spokesperson for the company. "Marks and Spencer is the leading school wear retailer, and we will make sure our school wear is accessible for children of all shapes and sizes."

Labels: schools, students, pre-school

Posted By: My Overweight Child 1 Comment