Childhood Obesity News and Research

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Research examines relationship between body-image distortion and weight-loss behaviors

Normal weight and underweight teenage girls who falsely believe they are overweight are at significantly greater risk of succumbing to unnecessary and unsafe weight-loss behaviors than girls who can accurately assess their weight status, according to new research by a University of Illinois expert in eating disorders and body-image perception.

18 Jun 2010

New studies: Politicians could do more to tackle the spread of obesity

Politicians could do more to tackle the spread of obesity, a new series of studies suggests. Governments are being urged to encourage better eating habits by supporting financial incentives to enable production of healthier foods, such as subsidised fruit and vegetable production and levies on calorie-rich foods.

15 Jun 2010

Alliance for a Healthier Generation recognizes 179 schools for increasing healthy eating, physical activity

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, today recognized 179 schools that have transformed their campuses into healthier places for students and staff. President Bill Clinton, American Heart Association Chairman Neil Meltzer, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation President and CEO Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey presented awards during an event in New York City.

15 Jun 2010

Children living in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods are more likely to be obese

Children in King County, Washington, are more likely to be obese if they live in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods. This is according to a team of researchers at Seattle Children's Research Institute, the University of Washington (UW), and Group Health Research Institute. Social Science & Medicine e-published the research this week in advance of printing it.

14 Jun 2010

Delaware's first-in-the-nation guidelines for nutrition and physical activity in child care accepted: Study

A study conducted by the nonprofit health research organization Altarum Institute suggests that Delaware's first-in-the-nation guidelines for nutrition and physical activity in child care are broadly accepted by both child care providers and parents, and that challenges to implementing the policies can be overcome with support.

9 Jun 2010

UPMC Health Plan collaboration launches pediatric weight management program

A unique collaboration between UPMC Health Plan, Children's Community Pediatrics (CCP), and Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC is utilizing a multidisciplinary team approach in the setting of the pediatrician's office to provide practical weight management strategies for children who are obese or overweight.

8 Jun 2010

Bertucci’s Chef chosen to participate in First Lady Michelle Obama's Chefs Move To Schools program

Northborough, MA-based Bertucci’s Corporation announced today that it’s own Chef Stefano Cordova has been chosen by First Lady Michelle Obama to participate in her “Chefs Move To Schools” program that calls on the nation’s chefs to adopt a school, work with teachers, parents, school nutritionists and administrators to help educate kids about food and nutrition.

4 Jun 2010

Advergames can promote unhealthy eating habits in children

UC Davis public health researchers have found that children, who are already saturated with television messages about unhealthy food choices, are the targets of a new medium used to sell high-fat, high-sugar foods: advergames.

4 Jun 2010

Unhealthy diet and lifestyle linked to childhood asthma - study

Asthma in children is on the rise worldwide and scientists have often blamed the environment for this trend. Britain has more than 1.1 million children and the US has nearly 10 million children with asthma. In a new international study diet has been cited to be a factor that affects asthma in children. The study on Allergies and Asthma in Childhood has shown what many parents knew for a while now – burgers are not good for children.

3 Jun 2010

Community interventions help American Indian families reduce early childhood weight gain: Study

Community intervention can help American Indian families change behavior related to early childhood weight gain and obesity, according to a new Kaiser Permanente and Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board study.

3 Jun 2010

Major loophole in physical education mandates for students in U.S.

The Shape of the Nation Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA released today from the National Association for Sport and Physical Education and the American Heart Association, shows that while the majority of states mandate physical education, there are two significant inadequacies: time requirements and exemptions/waivers.

2 Jun 2010

CookShop nutrition education program helps students make healthier food choices: Survey

Hundreds of New York City public elementary school teachers reported in a survey that their students are making healthier food choices because of CookShop, a nutrition education program of the Food Bank For New York City that is funded and supported by the USDA. This finding is significant at a time when 43 percent of the city's elementary school children are overweight or obese.

2 Jun 2010

Secretary of Health commends two Allegheny County schools for commitment to exercise every day

Secretary of Health Everette James today visited the Avonworth and Mt. Royal middle schools in Allegheny County to commend students and teachers for their yearlong commitment to exercising for 30 minutes every school day.

29 May 2010

Anthem supports over 60 of Maine's caring non-profit agencies

The American Diabetes Association, Aroostook Mental Health Services, and the Wellness Council of Maine were among more than 60 non-profit agencies across the state that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine supported during 2009.

29 May 2010

Obesity is a risk factor for depressive symptoms

Researchers, led by Kerri Boutelle, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have found that obesity is a risk factor for depressive symptoms, but not for clinical depression, suggesting that weight status could play a part in the development of depression in some adolescent girls.

25 May 2010

One-third of Minnesotans understate their weight problems

When it comes to self-perceptions about their own healthy weight, many Minnesotans appear to be adapting Garrison Keillor's famous quip: "I believe in looking reality straight in the eye and denying it."

25 May 2010

Health leaders discuss polio, alcohol, childhood obesity at WHA

From the 63rd World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, the Associated Press reports on what some "describe as a new strategy to get rid of" polio that focuses on developing solutions to "problems in each country, provides more WHO monitoring, like more teleconferences, and holds governments more accountable." The plans also provide "[n]ew [polio] outbreak response plans," according to the AP.

24 May 2010

Medco: Big jump in kids' prescription drug use last year

Children's prescription drug use rose "several times faster" than adult use last year, "due in part to swine flu drugs and Type 2 diabetes medications, according to Medco Health Solutions Inc," The Associated Press reports. The "pharmacy benefits manager said a 5 percent increase in prescription drug use for children contributed to a 10.8 percent spending increase last year. In contrast, overall prescription drug use rose 1.3 percent, and drug spending climbed 3.7 percent. Medco released its annual drug trend report Wednesday" (Murphy, 5/19).

21 May 2010

Today's Opinions and Editorials: Childhood obesity, the interworkings of the FDA, the constitutionality of 'Obamacare'

The White House report offers recommendations related to early childhood, parenting, food in schools, access to healthy and affordable food and physical activity. Taken individually, none of these is a silver bullet (Tom Newton, 5/19).

20 May 2010

Parents ignore emotional suffering overweight kids experience as teens

Millions of kids who are obese will likely suffer from verbal abuse, societal ostracization, stigmas, health problems and eventually die at a young age. The double calamity will occur if parents continue to avoid the problem and ignore the cries for help from our children, declares Dr. Sasson Moulavi, M.D., founder of the Smart for Life(R) Cookie Diet and its children's lifestyle program THIN ADVENTURE(TM).

19 May 2010