Tag Archives: Obese

Where Are Worried Parents To Turn If Their Child Is Obese?

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doctorglobeFrom Your Health Journal…..”An interesting article from Ireland in a publication called the Independent that I wanted to promote. It brings up the interesting question for parents…..Where Are Worried Parents To Turn If Their Child Is Obese? Childhood obesity is on the rise all over the world as children are showing risk factors for heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, weak joints, and asthma. The reduction of physical activity, increase of sedentary lifestyle which includes technology, as well as poor diet have all contributed to this growing concern. But, where should a parent turn to for help? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Your child’s pediatrician
2. The school nurse, principal, or PE teacher
3. A nutritionist
4. A dietician
5. A grandparent
6. A coach
7. A family role model

You get the point. A parents objective in this situation is to have long list of supporters who may be able to help an overweight or obese child. Once this is in place, then parent and child can become educated on lifestyle changes that may help them get on the path to a healthier lifestyle. Please visit the Independent web site (link provided below) to read the complete article.”

From the article…..

Where do you go and who do you turn to if your child is overweight or obese? Apparently, parents have little or no services to turn to. This startling fact was revealed at the launch of the INDI (Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute) Nourish Children Week in Dublin.

This lack of services is particularly worrying when, according to figures from the national Growing Up in Ireland survey, one-in-four of the 30,000 primary school children in this country are either overweight or obese.

The school yard is a jungle for all kids. The last thing a child needs is to be singled out for their weight. Overweight children often complain about bullying in school. This, on top of their already fragile self-esteem, is a dangerous combination.

Nourish Children Week is aiming to highlight the lack of HSE childhood obesity services. Dietitian Richelle Flanagan, INDI’s president, said there is a dearth of services despite child obesity now reaching epidemic levels.

“73pc of the country doesn’t have access to a child obesity programme and 88pc of the country doesn’t have access to a group intervention programme when kids are already obese,” he says.

The INDI presented a map of Ireland which showed that just three HSE childhood obesity prevention programmes exist across seven counties, along with two group treatment programmes that cover three counties.

To read the complete article…..Click here

Is Guided Self-Help Effective In Treating Childhood Obesity?

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overweightchildFrom Your Health Journal…..”A very interesting article out of the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine entitled Is Guided Self-Help Effective In Treating Childhood Obesity? Childhood obesity is on the rise all over the world, and in the United States, 1 in 3 children are considered overweight, while 1 in 7 obese. Along with this, obesity related illnesses are up – including weak joints, heart disease, asthma, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. Education is a key ingredient to reducing childhood obesity, but some families do not have access to this! Studies at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine indicate that a self-help treatment program for overweight children and their parents, guided by clinical experts, may be an effective solution to help children lose weight. Please visit the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine web site (link provided below) to read this complete article. It was very interesting, well written, and well thought.”

From the article…..

It is known that family-based treatment that combines nutrition and exercise education, along with behavior modification, is a good approach to help children lose weight. But clinic-based weight-control programs for childhood obesity are not accessible to many families, due to issues such as cost or time commitment.

Initial studies at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine indicate that a self-help treatment program for overweight children and their parents, guided by clinical experts, may be an effective solution. The study, led by Kerri Boutelle, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine – the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of such a program – will be published in the journal Pediatrics on April 1.

Boutelle and colleagues enrolled 50 overweight or obese children between the ages of 8 and 12 and their family members in a low-intensity, 5-month long treatment for childhood obesity, measuring the effects on a child’s weight (measured as body mass index or BMI) immediately post-treatment and six months later. The researchers also evaluated whether the intervention promoted improvements in eating behavior and physical activity among children and parents. The results of the guided, self-help intervention program showed a significant decrease in BMI immediately after completing the 5-month treatment, losses that were maintained six months later.

According to the UCSD researchers, such a program may be an improvement over current methods, especially because the program is designed to fit a busy family’s schedule.

To read the complete article…..Click here

Vitamin D May Lower Diabetes Risk In Obese Children And Adolescents

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obeseboyvectorbellyFrom Your Health Journal…..”Another interesting article from Science Daily that I wanted to promote entitled Vitamin D May Lower Diabetes Risk In Obese Children And Adolescents. We discuss here on a regular basis the obesity epidemic facing the youth of the world, as well as the increase of obesity related illness such as heart disease, weak joints, asthma, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. We know that children today have become very sedentary, where technology is consuming their lives, to a point where physical activity is minimal. Parents are always looking for solutions – quick ones! But, as we know, there are NO quick solutions to fighting obesity. A well-rounded healthy lifestyle is the best defense to keep the weight off children – including eating properly, exercise, sleep, and proper hydration. Now, University of Missouri researchers found vitamin D supplements can help obese children and teens control their blood-sugar levels, which may help them stave off the disease. The study suggested that by increasing vitamin D intake alone was nearly as powerful as what has been seen using a prescription drug. These are interesting findings, which needs more research, but nevertheless, very interesting. Remember, this does not take away the importance of proper exercise and diet, but important. Please visit the Science Daily web site (link provided below) to read the complete article.”

From the article…..

Childhood and adolescent obesity rates in the United States have increased dramatically in the past three decades. Being obese puts individuals at greater risk for developing Type 2 diabetes, a disease in which individuals have too much sugar in their blood. Now, University of Missouri researchers found vitamin D supplements can help obese children and teens control their blood-sugar levels, which may help them stave off the disease.

“By increasing vitamin D intake alone, we got a response that was nearly as powerful as what we have seen using a prescription drug,” said Catherine Peterson, an associate professor of nutrition and exercise physiology at MU. “We saw a decrease in insulin levels, which means better glucose control, despite no changes in body weight, dietary intake or physical activity.”

Peterson and her colleagues studied 35 pre-diabetic obese children and adolescents who were undergoing treatment in the MU Adolescent Diabetic Obesity Program. All of those in the study had insufficient or deficient vitamin D levels and had similar diets and activity levels. Study participants randomly were assigned either a high-dose vitamin D supplement or a placebo that they took daily for six months. Those who took the supplement became vitamin D sufficient and lowered the amount of insulin in their blood.

“The vitamin D dosage we gave to the obese adolescents in our study is not something I would recommend for everyone,” Peterson said. “For clinicians, the main message from this research is to check the vitamin D status of their obese patients, because they’re likely to have insufficient amounts. Adding vitamin D supplements to their diets may be an effective addition to treating obesity and its associated insulin resistance.”

Vitamin D helps maintain healthy bones, muscles and nerves and enters bodies through sunlight exposure, diet or supplements. Vitamin D insufficiency is common; however, it can be more detrimental to those who are obese, Peterson said.

To read the complete article…..Click here

Skim Milk Not The Answer To Childhood Obesity

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milkFrom Your Health Journal…..”A very good article from The Australian entitled Skim milk not the answer to childhood obesity, study finds. Through the years, we have mentioned how most kids under age 2 should have whole milk, then after age 2, switch over to skim or low fat milk. Now, research is suggesting that giving your toddler skimmed or semi-skimmed milk is unlikely to make inroads against the risk of obesity. In the study, they found kids who drank full-fat milk, which has a 3.5-percent fat component, or reduced-fat milk, which has two-percent fat, also tended to weigh less than counterparts who drank skimmed or semi-skimmed. This study is very interesting, but way too complex to start re-writing all the data found, so I suggest you all visit The Australian web site to read the complete article. It is well written and very informative.”

From the article…..

Giving your toddler skimmed or semi-skimmed milk is unlikely to make inroads against the risk of obesity, a large study conducted among American children has found.

Researchers trawled through data from a long-term probe into the health of 10,700 children born in 2001.

Parents or caregivers were asked about milk consumption when the infant was two and were questioned again two years later, when the child was again weighed and measured.

Overweight or obesity was widespread: 30.1 percent of the children at two years fell into this category, rising to 32.2 percent at the age of four.

But children who were overweight or obese were likelier to drink skimmed milk or semi-skimmed milk, which has one-percent butterfat, than counterparts of normal weight, the probe found.

Low-fat or fat-free milk was consumed by 14 percent of heavy two-year-olds and 16 percent of heavy four-year-olds.

This compared with nine percent of normal-weight two-year-olds and 13 percent of normal-weight four-year-olds.

Kids who drank full-fat milk, which has a 3.5-percent fat component, or reduced-fat milk, which has two-percent fat, also tended to weigh less than counterparts who drank skimmed or semi-skimmed.

To read the full article…..Click here

Televisions In the Bedroom Often Correlate To Obese Children

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A very good press release sent to me today. As always, if you have a health related release, send it to me via the contact form above…..

newspaperA new study finds that children with televisions in their bedrooms are more than twice as likely to be overweight. The Omidi brothers, and their charity The Children’s Obesity Fund, are concerned about the societal impacts of America’s growing obesity problem and is dedicated to sharing information such as this which can help our kids grow up healthy and happy.

Kids with televisions in their bedrooms are two and a half times as likely to develop fat deposits around their waists, heart and livers; elevated triglycerides and fat in their bloodstreams. These are the conditions that can lead to heart disease, diabetes and stroke in later life. This finding is from a recent study published by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine and reported by Today.com.

“We have begun to view television and other forms of electronic media as being indispensable, but there is really no material benefit to having a television in the bedroom of a young child,” says Julian Omidi, co-founder of the charitable organization The Children’s Obesity Fund. “Our fast-food culture of instant gratification has led us not only to destructive eating habits, but corrosive behaviors that are extremely difficult to unlearn. If we are to conquer this obesity epidemic, we must stop allowing, and even facilitating, these activities that only contribute to the problem.”

The published study didn’t hypothesize as to the exact reasons for the link between television in the bedroom and childhood obesity, but different studies suggest that a contributing factor might be the difficulty children experience in achieving sufficient, restorative sleep after watching television or playing video games at night. According to a study in the Journal of Applied Ergonomics, the artificial light illuminated by electronic devices inhibits the production of sleep hormones, causing the brain to remain stimulated when it should be winding down in preparation for sleep. Diminished sleep has been found to be a causal factor in weight gain in children, according to research conducted at the Universite de Montreal in 2008.

“If children are to watch television, ideally it should be in service of ‘family time,’ not as a simple means of distraction,” says Dr. Michael Omidi of The Children’s Obesity Fund. “Keeping television out of kids’ bedrooms is a small price to pay if it means that they will grow up less likely to struggle with the heartbreak of obesity.”

- Courtesy of PRWeb

More On Childhood Obesity

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overweightchildFrom Your Health Journal…..”A very interesting article from WEAR-TV, an ABC local affiliate about childhood obesity. Reports have come in from many credible organizations like the American Heart Association, which stated 25 million American youth are overweight or obese – and the CDC which has stated obesity has doubled for children ages 5-11, and nearly tripled for teens ages 12-18. Heart disease is still the number one killer in our country, and illnesses related to it are also on the rise, such as type 2 diabetes – affecting children as well. There are many contributing causes to this epidemic such as homework loads, extra-curricular activities, sedentary lifestyle, and poor diet – but one thing that has been a major influence in the rise of obesity among children is the popularity of technology. Children keep busy on their Ipads, video games, hand held devices, computers, cell phones, and countless other machines that entertain, but cause children to be sedentary. Throw on top of this all the TV times, and we have ‘couch potato’ generation, who many experts feel could have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. We need to get kids off the couch, out to play, have healthier diets, less technology, and proper education on healthy lifestyle. Please visit the WEAR-TV (ABC-TV) web site (link provided below) to read the complete article. It was very informative, and shared great material at the local level.”

From the article…..

It’s a growing problem across the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Childhood Obesity has more than doubled in the past 30-years.

What is being done to battle the growing disease. “Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the United States here in Escambia County one of the ways they are trying to battle that problem is starting here in the schools by changing the lunches.”

Pediatrician Doctor Michelle Grier-Hall says obesity at a young age raises many health concerns not only physical but mental.

Dr. Michelle Grier-Hall “Heart disease and diabetes which we are seeing diabetes in our children not just in adults but we’re seeing diabetes in children who have obesity, so you have high blood pressure, cholesterol problems and this is not good of course the joint problems, back pains and other things you can see with obesity.”

The Escambia County Health Department says there is no increase in the total percentage of students who are obese or overweight this year.

Data shows 63 % of the children measured are in the normal range for body mass index. But CDC numbers nation wide show children ages 6 to 11 years who are obese increased from 7 % in 1980 to 18 % in 2010.

Adolescents ages 12 to 19 increased from 5 % to 18 %. Recently, schools have stepped in changing their lunch menus to healthier alternatives.

And removing friers from the cafeteria. Jaleena Davis “There are five components in our meal whole grain bread, milk, fruit, vegetable, meat or meat alternate.”

To read the complete article…..Click here

Obesity Rates Hurt Economy

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obeseeatingFrom Your Health Journal…..A very good article written by Jackie Marchildon in Arbitrage Magazine entitled Obesity Rates Hurt Economy. This article is important to read, as it does help explain why many governments are looking into ‘why they should get involved’ in the obesity epidemic. As the author states, Rising obesity rates aren’t just weighing down our population — they are weighing down the economy too. In Canada, obesity costs the Canadian economy between $4.6 and $7.1 billion per year. Direct costs are associated with obesity-related illnesses such as asthma, weak joints, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. The fact is that people that are heavily overweight or obese have higher medical care costs, substantially higher. And those elevated costs aren’t just paid by the obese person himself – they are paid for by everybody in the same insurance plan or by you, the tax payers, to the extent that people are covered by public health. Please visit the Arbitrage Magazine web site (link provided below) to read the complete article. It is well written and informative.”

From the article…..

Obesity rates may be negatively impacting the economy

Rising obesity rates aren’t just weighing down our population — they are weighing down the economy too.

According to the latest obesity report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), obesity costs the Canadian economy between $4.6 and $7.1 billion per year. Lisa Corscadden, a program consultant at CIHI involved in writing the report, explains that these costs are both directly and indirectly associated with obesity.

Direct costs are associated with obesity-related illnesses, while indirect costs are related to issues like short and long-term disability. Although Corscadden would not directly affirm that an obese person requires more medical attention, and therefore more funding, the report insinuates this to be true.

Cornell University Professor John Cawley argues exactly that. His primary field of study is on health economics, specializing in the economics of obesity.

“The fact is that people that are heavily overweight or obese have higher medical care costs, substantially higher. And those elevated costs aren’t just paid by the obese person himself – they are paid for by everybody in the same insurance plan or by you, the tax payers, to the extent that people are covered by public health,” Cawley explains.

This means that there are external costs of obesity and not just costs inflicted upon the obese person themselves. This, according to Cawley, is the economic rationale that should compel the U.S. government to step in and do something about obesity.

In developed countries like Canada and the United States, obesity rates are quickly rising. In Canada, the percentage of obese adults has doubled in the last 30 years. In children and youth the dominance of obesity has tripled.

While there are obvious negative effects of obesity on individuals themselves, such an increased risk of heart disease or diabetes, the effects of obesity on the economy are not as evident.

“In a situation like this, where people aren’t fully confronted with the consequences of their actions, it is the role of the government to step in and help people confront the full costs of their actions and avoid these kinds of cost spillovers to third parties,” says Cawley.

To read the full article…..Click here

Strict Diets Not Good For Obese Kids

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myplateFrom Your Health Journal…..”A very interesting article from Gulf Today by Lina Abdul Rahman entitled Strict diets not good for obese kids, expert advises parents. This is a very good article, that I had to promote here. We know there is an obesity epidemic facing the youth of the world (as well as adults). Obesity related illnesses are up including heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, asthma, and weak joints. Sedentary lifestyle is a major concern, as children (and adults) are consumed in technology, which does not promote physical activity time. Many times, obese children go on very strict diets, and in many cases, parents are doing it the incorrect, and potentially dangerous way. Obese children should never go on a diet that deprives them of certain kinds of food. On the contrary, such kids should be encouraged to resort to healthy eating habits that include consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables. Please visit The Gulf News web site (link provided below) to read this complete article. It may help some of you keep your children healthy.”

From the article…..

Obese children should never go on a diet that deprives them of certain kinds of food. On the contrary, such kids should be encouraged to resort to healthy eating habits that include consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, recommended Dr Hala Beshri, a paediatric specialist.

Dr Beshri said obesity was a global disease that was widespread nowadays even among young children. This condition, the doctor noted, was mainly caused by increased consumption of junk food and less of healthy food containing nutrients and vitamins.

“I am not supporting the idea of making obese children go on strict diets but rather I would encourage them to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, besides indulging in adequate physical activity and regular exercises. Moreover, children’s weight and height must be regularly maintained and monitored.”

Dr Beshri noted that the aim should never be to lose weight but to maintain it at a healthy level through a healthy diet. Some children find it extremely difficult to keep off junk food. For them, fresh fruit juices or vegetables should accompany their choice of food, the doctor advised.

When asked about the importance of a healthy lifestyle for children in particular, she said, “Adopting a healthy lifestyle is fundamental, which can help keep their weight in check. This can be achieved in various ways: namely, by getting children to walk or engage in any other physical activity on a daily basis.

To read the full article…..Click here

When Sizing Up Childhood Obesity Risks, It Helps To Ask About Random Kids

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girlhulaFrom Your Health Journal…..”A very good article on the NPR web site that I wanted to promote by Gillian K. SteelFisher entitled When Sizing Up Childhood Obesity Risks, It Helps To Ask About Random Kids. Please visit the NPR site to support Gillian’s article. Childhood obesity is on the rise in many areas of the world. Many would like to think it is starting to get under control, but even so, many children are in need of reducing their weight. Obesity related illnesses for young children is on the rise, as so many children show risk factors for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, cancer, and weak joints. In fact, many of these children are bullied at school as well as having low self esteem. Recently, a poll was taken with a random sample of children which looked at what children are actually doing in terms of eating, drinking and physical activity. Are they eating dinner with their families? And what’s on their plate (or TV screen or iPod) when they do? To learn more about this poll and its results, please visit the NPR web site (link provided below) to read the complete article.”

From the article…..

To understand the challenges around childhood obesity in the U.S., you need to take a close look at the lives of children and the households in which their habits are formed.

NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, where I’m a researcher, created a unique poll to do that.

The poll looked at what children are actually doing in terms of eating, drinking and physical activity. Are they eating dinner with their families? And what’s on their plate (or TV screen or iPod) when they do?

One thing that makes this poll different from others is that it’s based on a random sample of children, even though adults in the households answered the questions. In order to be sure the findings are representative of children across the country, we needed this random sample of kids.

It’s an important distinction.

In a traditional poll, the research team telephones a random selection of households and asks to speak with a randomly selected adult in the household. Here, the team telephoned a random selection of households with children and asked to speak with an adult about a randomly selected kid in the household.

Another difference is that the polling team went beyond interviews with parents. In each case, we interviewed an adult in the household who actually knows what the child does and eats. Another caregiver — rather than a parent — might know that best. This approach allowed us to make sure that kids living in many kinds of households are included.

For most kids, the adult who knows what they eat and what they’re doing in terms of activities does turn out to be a parent. But for some kids, the adult who knows is a grandmother, a foster parent, an uncle or even an adult sibling. We call the respondents “parents” in our reports for simplicity, and we make a note about this in the complete description of our polling methods.

To read the full article…..Click here

Searching For The Cause(s) Of Obesity

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obesestationarybikeFrom Your Health Journal…..”A very interesting article on the Seattle PI web site written by Timi Gustafson entitled Searching For The Cause(s) Of Obesity. The article starts by stating two thirds of Americans are overweight. One third is obese. Along with this, obesity related illness are on the rise, including asthma, weak joints, heart disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. We are eating too much food, make unhealthy food selections, participating in less physical activity, sedentary, and involved in too much technology. Recently, we have seen local governments try to ban large soft drinks, and implement fax taxes. Obesity has been such a hot topic, but change is needed to our lifestyles to fix it. Please visit the Seattle PI web site (link provided below) to read the complete article.”

From the article…..

Two thirds of Americans are overweight. One third is obese. Obesity and a host of illnesses related to weight problems kill more people than any other disease. Experts are scrambling to find answers for what causes the epidemic and seem to come up with new explanations every day, only to be contradicted by the next study. Unsurprisingly, consumers are confused and stop paying attention.

How is it that we are eating ourselves to death, not just here but increasingly around the world? Does the so-called “Western diet,” consisting of cheap, highly processed, highly caloric foods, make us fat? Or is it sugary sodas? Are portion sizes too big? Does the food industry turn us into addicts? Do we just not exercise enough?

So far, none of the countless studies on these subjects have had much impact in practical terms. Lobbying efforts and political gridlock are oftentimes blamed for the maddeningly slow progress. But that may not be the only reason. Some experts warn that despite of all the research, finding definite answers may prove elusive for some time to come.

“If we can find the causes of obesity, we can try to eliminate or counter them,” wrote Christopher Chabris, a professor of psychology at Union College, together with his colleague Daniel Simons of the University of Illinois in an op-ed piece in the New York Times. “Unfortunately, finding causes is easier said than done, and causes we think we see can turn out to be illusions.”

Hoping for a smoking gun that lets us clearly identify causation may not be in the cards, ever. As an example, the authors cite a study that analyzed potential connections between food advertising on billboards and prevalence of obesity in certain parts of Los Angeles and New Orleans. The study results showed that areas with more outdoor food advertisements had a higher proportion of obese people than those with fewer ads. So, there seems to be a direct link.

To read the full article…..Click here