Childhood Obesity News and Research

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Simple tips to help parents and children lead a healthy life

Obesity is almost at epidemic proportions; it has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years nationwide. Rosa Cataldo, DO, MPH, Director of the Healthy Weight & Wellness Center at Stony Brook Children's Hospital, says that the most effective approach to addressing weight loss in children are lifestyle-based modifications that involve parents.

26 Mar 2016

New research links antibiotic use before age 2 to childhood obesity

While early antibiotic use has been associated with a number of rare long-term health consequences, new research links antibiotics to one of the most important and growing public health problems worldwide -- obesity.

23 Mar 2016

Students who eat breakfast at school less likely to be obese than students who skip breakfast

Middle school students who eat breakfast at school -- even if they have already had breakfast at home -- are less likely to be overweight or obese than students who skip breakfast, says a new study by the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement at the Yale School of Public Health and the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut.

17 Mar 2016

School fitness reports ineffective in promoting weight loss among students

Teens being classified as overweight in school fitness reports does not appear to have any impact on short-term changes in body mass index, finds a new study by New York University's Institute for Education and Social Policy, the Center for Policy Research at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, and Columbia University.

15 Mar 2016

Birth of a sibling potentially associated with healthier BMIs for children by first grade

Becoming a big brother or big sister before first grade may lower a child's risk of becoming obese, a new study led by the University of Michigan suggests.

11 Mar 2016

Scientists identify novel gene variants associated with childhood BMI

An international team of scientists has identified novel gene locations associated with childhood body mass index (BMI)--an important measurement related to childhood obesity. The meta-analysis, covering over 47,000 children, is the largest genetic study to date of childhood BMI.

11 Mar 2016

Conducive work climate can help moms to continue breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is healthy for baby and for Mom. It has a positive impact on childhood obesity, infections and allergies, is linked to a lower likelihood of mothers getting ovarian or breast cancers later in life and to a more positive maternal-child relationship.

10 Mar 2016

Higher BMI in mothers linked with lower vitamin D levels in babies

Does a newborn's vitamin D level relate to the mother's weight during pregnancy? Results from a study published in PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science) provides ample evidence that yes, higher body mass index (BMI) in mothers is associated with lower vitamin D levels in their babies.

9 Mar 2016

Obese children at greater risk for pedestrian injuries

Child development experts already know obese children are at greater risk than their peers for developing high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, diabetes, and joint problems.

9 Mar 2016

Mississippi Department of Education voted to adopt Smart Snack standards

The Mississippi Department of Education voted on Thursday, February 18, 2016 to adopt Smart Snack standards, ensuring all public school students have healthy options beyond what is provided in the School Meal Program.

27 Feb 2016

Understanding risk factors that contribute to childhood obesity

As the rate of obesity in the U.S. population has risen dramatically, more and more children are becoming overweight at younger and younger ages. Understanding the factors that contribute to childhood obesity and identifying ways to prevent its development are critical to stemming the historically high prevalence of childhood obesity and of associated health problems like type 2 diabetes.

22 Feb 2016

Interplay between gene variant and socio-economic environment may determine girls' food choices

If you're fat, can you blame it on your genes? The answer is a qualified yes. Maybe. Under certain circumstances. Researchers are moving towards a better understanding of some of the roots of obesity.

12 Feb 2016

Certain gene variants influence what we eat

10 Feb 2016

Second-hand smoke exposure linked to larger waist, poorer cognition in children

Exposure to second-hand smoke is associated with a larger waist and poorer cognition in children, researchers say.

29 Jan 2016

Scientists discover epigenetic switch linked to obesity

It is well known that a predisposition to adiposity lies in our genes. A new study by researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics in Freiburg now shows that it is also crucial how these genes are regulated. The scientists led by Andrew Pospisilik discovered a novel regulatory, epigenetic switch, which causes individuals with identical genetic material, such as monozygotic twins, to either be lean or obese.

29 Jan 2016

Mindfulness could help children avoid obesity

Mindfulness, described as paying attention on purpose and being in the present moment with acceptance, could be an effective way to help children avoid obesity. New research published in the journal Heliyon suggests that the balance in brain networks in children who are obese is different compared to healthy-weight children, making them more prone to over-eating.

22 Jan 2016

Artificial pancreas moves closer to becoming a reality

As the accuracy, reliability, adoption, and successful use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) continue to increase, the ultimate goal of combining CGM with an insulin pump and sophisticated algorithms for automating the control and suspension of insulin infusion--known as the "artificial pancreas"--moves closer to becoming a reality.

20 Jan 2016