Search Results for: blog a new way to fight childhood obesity

Avoiding obesity in the teen years

By the time your kids get to their teens years, they have taken over control of their schedules, and keeping them active is a feat of monstrous proportions. With today’s’ technological advancements, they are much more content to stay inside than we were at their age. They are attached to their computers, video games, and cell phones. There is no need to visit with friends or to go outside and play. Back when I was a teen, I walked two miles to the library, or a half mile to my friends house and then took the stairs to her fourth … Continue reading →

A New Way to Fight Childhood Obesity

Perhaps the American government could learn a lesson from South Korea… on how to curtail childhood obesity. In a plan that has shocked some families, South Korea’s health ministry officials recently announced that the government is planning to help parents of obese children pay for health club memberships and other activities that can help kids lose weight. The announcement comes on the heels of a new report, which reveals that the rate of childhood obesity in South Korea has tripled over the past three years due to a changing diet of fatty foods and a more sedentary lifestyle. According to … Continue reading →

Anti-Obesity Baby Formula?

My oldest daughter had rolls and rolls of fat. She had triple chins and big chunky thighs. She was breastfed and so there really was not an issue with how chubby she was. Now, at age 8, she weighs just about what she should weigh for her height. But scientists are concerned with the growing obesity rate among young children. Children these days play less and seem to have diets oozing with fats and sugars yielding a high percentage of kids who are categorized as morbidly obese. Apparently the growing trend is of such a great concern, that scientists in … Continue reading →

Magic of Healthy Living

Recently the Walt Disney Company joined forces with someone I definitely didn’t expect: First Lady Michelle Obama. A press release by the House of Mouse announces their collaboration with the First Lady as part of their Disney Magic of Healthy Living campaign. The campaign itself has its roots in 2006, when Disney Co. launched a line of foods, branded with their famous characters, boasting a new set of nutritional guidelines. Now they’re upping the ante on the initiative, the biggest example of which includes the participation of Michelle Obama. “I am thrilled to join Disney’s Magic of Healthy Living effort … Continue reading →

Should Government Be Involved In Fitness?

Recently Michelle Obama made some comments that ruffled quite a few feathers. In her efforts to launch a campaign against childhood obesity she made some statements about her own children that rose more than a few eyebrows. Some of the criticism stemmed from the mere fact that she used her own children as an example. Some critics believe that Mrs. Obama should have kept her children out of the discussion. Other criticism that arose was based on her doctor’s assessment that her daughter was overweight and needed to go on a diet. Critics believe there is a fine line between … Continue reading →

Something Worth Watching

What do you get when you combine a boy with mustard-colored skin and purple hair with the swine flu? The answer: Must-see TV… at least if you have young kids at home. If you’re worried about the H1N1 virus or seasonal flu, don’t have all the facts on vaccinations AND you parent needle-phobic children, then you might consider tuning into PBS’ “Sid the Science Kid” on Monday, October 26, 2009. That’s when a new episode of the popular kiddie series will air. The special show follows 4-year-old Sid as he goes to the doctor to get a flu shot. Those … Continue reading →

Is Gym Class Too Dangerous?

Forget about those reports that hail gym class as a savior in the war against childhood obesity. According to a new study, injuries to American children enrolled in school physical education classes increased by 150 percent from 1997-2007. Interestingly, the reason for the dramatically high number of injuries is not due to schools instituting vigorous exercise regimes; rather the study claims lack of adult supervision is to blame. The study’s lead author notes that lively gym programs are commendable; however, a decline in school nurses and larger class sizes have the potential to negate benefits gained through rigorous P.E. classes. … Continue reading →

Fitness Week in Review for October 13-19, 2008

What kind of music do you listen to while you workout? Would you consider running a marathon while you were pregnant? Do you skip over warm-ups and cool downs because you want to get out of the gym and on with your day as quickly as possible? Those are just a few of the questions posed last week in the FITNESS blog. To see what else you might have missed take a look at the following recap: October 13th—–How “Fit” is Your Child’s Cereal? Most of us are so concerned about getting our children off the couch and outside to … Continue reading →

Salad Bars in Elementary School

If elementary schools really want to fight the war against childhood obesity they should offer a salad bar. That’s the findings from a new study conducted by UCLA. The study noted that by offering a salad bar the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption among low-income students increased. Also the students’ daily intake of cholesterol, saturated fat and total fat decreased. Lead author, Dr. Wendy Slusser, noted that one of the major reasons kids are overweight in the US today is that they do not eat the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. “Increasing the availability and accessibility to … Continue reading →