Childhood Obesity News and Research

RSS

Lack of outdoor play is health time bomb for children

Unless more suitable outdoor play opportunities are provided for children and young people, a physical and mental illness time bomb is likely to explode, an international conference in Bristol was told.

15 Aug 2006

Growing pains linked to body weight

University of South Australia researchers have discovered that young children experiencing growing pains had significantly greater body weight than children for whom no pain was reported.

25 Jul 2006

Childhood obesity measurements in schools could do more harm than good

The Government's recently announced initiative to screen the weight of four and ten year olds in schools could be psychologically harmful to children and even result in some developing eating disorders.

20 Jun 2006

Brits get serious about junk food advertising

If the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in Britain has its way restrictions on advertising junk food will have ramifications which could extend well beyond television and will affect web sites, computer games, cinemas, theatres, packaging and school activities and sponsorship.

20 Jun 2006

WHO child growth standards spot on

New World Health Organisation (WHO) charts for child growth and development can be turned into a powerful tool to address weight issues for children, Australian Medical Association President, Dr Mukesh Haikerwal, said recently.

11 May 2006

Bill Clinton takes the fizz out of schools

Bill Clinton has managed to persuade the giants of the U.S. beverage industry to agree to take an active part in the fight against childhood obesity.

3 May 2006

Direct link between childhood obesity and junk food advertising

A team of researchers from the Harvard School of Public health (HSPH) and the Children's Hospital in Boston have found that children who spend more time watching TV were more likely to eat more of the calorie-dense, low nutrient foods advertised on television.

24 Apr 2006

25% of British school children are clinically obese

According to researchers over 25% of British school children are clinically obese and they lay the blame squarely on junk food and a lack of exercise.

24 Apr 2006

Breakthrough in fight against childhood obesity

What children eat has a greater influence than physical activity on their body weight, a Deakin University study has found.

18 Apr 2006

Obese youngsters unable to use child safety seats

An increasing number of obese youngsters are unable to use child safety seats intended for use while riding cars, according to a study by researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Injury Research and Policy.

4 Apr 2006

Obese children in danger in cars because they don't fit safety seats

According to new research many young children in the U.S. are in added danger in a car crash because obesity prevents them fitting into a child car safety seat.

3 Apr 2006

Child safety seat types and obese children

Childhood obesity is a critical health issue. And the use of child safety seats is required by law. But how many child safety seat types are available for the increasing number of obese children?

3 Apr 2006

Child's fatness at age five is not related to being breastfed

Does breastfeeding or the age at which other foods are introduced to infants affect the risk of obesity in early childhood? Research on this question has produced mixed results

9 Mar 2006

Cutting out the sodas equals weight loss for teens

Researchers from the Children's Hospital Boston say that the surge in children's consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks such as sodas, sports drinks, "juice drinks," iced teas, lemonades and punches matches the rise in childhood obesity.

7 Mar 2006

Future looks sick for fat kids

Current estimates predict the number of obese school children in Europe will reach 6.4 million by the year 2010 if present trends continue.

6 Mar 2006

Children who spend more time watching television spend less time interacting with their family and playing creatively

By studying children's activities over 24-hour periods, Dr. Elizabeth Vandewater and her colleagues provide evidence for the first time that supports the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) television viewing recommendations.

7 Feb 2006

Obesity may accelerate the onset of type 1 diabetes in some

Obesity, long known as a cause of type II diabetes, may accelerate the onset of type 1 diabetes in some - but not all - groups of younger patients, according to research at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and six clinical sites nationally.

5 Feb 2006

Babies of obese mothers have higher risk of some birth defects

Compared to normal-weight women, overweight and obese women suffer more pregnancy complications and their babies have more medical problems at birth, according to a position paper of the Public Affairs Committee of the Teratology Society.

5 Feb 2006

Enter Prince Charles! into the obesity debate

Prince Charles has entered the obesity debate and has cautioned the British public against becoming like the 'super size' Americans.

29 Jan 2006

Growth hormone helps children with sleep apnea

Growth hormone helps hundreds of children with a rare disorder that causes them to gorge on food, but for some, starting treatment can worsen a dangerous nighttime breathing problem, University of Florida researchers have found.

18 Jan 2006