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

The vast majority of American children (90 percent) drink sugar-sweetened drinks every day. Now a new study finds that replacing those drinks with water could help them reduce calorie intake and experience fewer dental problems.

Dr. Y. Claire Wang and her associates at Columbia University analyzed reports of diets from the 2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of children ages two to 19. They found that the empty calories in sugary drinks accounted for more than 10 percent of the children's daily calories. Other studies have found that children and teens consume 70 percent of their soft drinks at home, and only 15 percent at school.

"The evidence is clear that replacing these 'liquid calories' with calorie-free beverage alternatives both at home and school represents a key strategy to eliminate excess calories and prevent childhood obesity," Dr. Wang said.

This study appeared in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

Labels: weight loss, overweight children, soft_drinks, studies

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It's been well established that getting kids moving can have a positive effect on their weight and health. Now, a a small study from the University of Illinois has revealed that physical exercise might also improve children's mental abilities.

Dr. Charles Hillman and his colleagues had 20 nine-year-olds take tests in spelling, reading and math after they took a 20-minute rest, and then after they exercised for 20 minutes on a treadmill.

"What we found is that following the acute bout of walking, children performed better on the flanker tasks," Dr. Hillman said. "They had a higher rate of accuracy, especially when the task was more difficult."

Performance in reading comprehension was particularly better after exercising, Dr. Hillman said.

Dr. Hillman's co-author, Darla Castelli, recommended that each elementary school child have outdoor recess every day, and 150 minutes of physical education per week. High school students should get 225 minutes of physical education per week, she said.

This study appeared in the journal Neuroscience.

Labels: exercise, students, academics, studies

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A study that was conducted at the University of Michigan found that children who can't practice delayed gratification are more likely to gain weight. This was true whether their lack of control was related to food or toys.

[In the study] children were asked to choose candy, animal crackers, or pretzels as their preferred food, and [were] left alone with two plates of different quantities of the food. Children were told that they would be allowed to eat a larger quantity of the chosen food if they waited until the examiner returned. (Source: EmaxHealth)

Forty-seven percent of the children who participated in the study were unable to wait for the examiner to return - and those who displayed a limited ability to wait were 29 percent more likely to be overweight as they got older.

Researchers pointed to their findings as proof that parents need to teach the benefits of delayed gratification and model this behavior themselves.

Labels: overeating, self-control, overweight children, studies

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According to a new study from the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, overweight children are more likely than their leaner peers to suffer from headaches - but if they lose weight, the headaches lessen or go away.

Dr. Andrew Hershey studied 913 children for six months, and found that the more overweight a child is, the more frequent and painful his headaches are. Some of the children had painful headaches as often as every other day.

Dr. Hershey said he believes that the cause of such headaches may be low levels of leptin, a hormone that makes people feel full after eating. Since overweight children often do not drink enough water, dehydration may be another culprit in their headaches, he said. A third possible cause is stress due to social pressures, such as teasing, bullying or being criticized, he said.

This study appears in the journal Headache.

Labels: childhood_obesity, studies, headaches

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A collection of studies recently published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine found that, in the fight against childhood obesity, the odds are not in our favor.

"A study of 200,000 television commercials aired on shows popular with the teen audience found that more than one quarter of them were for fast food, sweets, and beverages... If you're looking for an explanation for our 'childhood obesity epidemic,' the constant barrage of marketing in support of products that literally feed that epidemic might be a good place to start."

But parents have some ammunition of their own, especially because they can determine what foods are and are not allowed in the home. Choosing fruits and veggies for snacks, and limiting after-dinner snacks are just two ways that parents can fight back. Read more at CalorieLab.com.

Labels: advertising, studies, media_influences

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Several recent studies have found that childhood obesity increases a person's risk for serious heart issues as an adult. It's estimated that heart disease could increase by as much as 16% once today's teenagers reach adulthood.

"According to an interview conducted by KATU News, 'We've simply never had a generation that's been this heavy from so early in life. The consequences of that are unprecedented and unknown,' said Dr. David Ludwig, director of an obesity program at Children's Hospital Boston. He says that the results of these two studies may be underestimating the future health issues that may result from the weight problems this generation is struggling with."

An estimated 1/3 of US children are overweight or obese, leading to an increase in the diagnosis of things like type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.

Labels: research, heart_disease, studies

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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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Vanderbilt University is conducting a study to determine how much energy kids really burn. A total of 200 children will participate in the study.

"The team says data from their study will result in a device that more accurately assesses calorie burning by kids in real life."

The study will take place on the Vanderbilt University campus, where kids will each spend a full day and night in a metabolic chamber. The chamber will measure their calories used during activities like using a treadmill or sitting at a desk and coloring.

Read more at Wave3.com.

Labels: research, studies, metabolism

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A committee that was convened in 2005 to develop comprehensive recommendations for fighting childhood obesity released its recommendations today. The Expert Committee on the Assessment, Prevention and Treatment of Child and Adolescent Overweight and Obesity was originally convened by the American Medical Association.

"The committee began meeting in early 2005 to study scientific data on the assessment, prevention and treatment of overweight and obese children. The committee then created 22 recommendations for health care professionals..."

Recommendations include a yearly assessment of weight status in all children - including body mass index, regular assessment of dietary patterns, and levels of physical activity. Read more online.

Labels: research, health_care, studies

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