School had already started here in Switzerland when the ‘walk to school’ debate started in the US in September this year. It was partly initiated by an article in the New York Times ‘Why can’t she walk to school?’ The story featured a mother who let her 7-year old girl, a second grader in upstate New York walk a block and half to school. Friends, neighbors, and families were just horrified at this apparent “lack of judgment” on the part of the mother.

In the part of the world where I live in, walking to school is the norm rather than the exception, and moms who chauffeur their kids to school, the so-called Mama-Taxis, are considered a traffic hazard frowned upon by school authorities, traffic officers, and other parents.

Why Parents are Afraid

Walking alone, even in familiar territory, presents danger to little children. The story of Little Red Riding has been our guiding lesson at a very young age. Kidnapping, pedophilia, bullying, and traffic accidents are just a few of the reason why parents would practically delivery their children right at the school doorstep and pick them up the same way. We’ve all heard the horror stories over the years of abductions and murders that have occurred.

However, because of these fears, parents would, according to the NYT, watch over their kids with unhealthy paranoia. Examples of these behaviors are:

• Parents and children sit in their cars at the end of the driveways to wait for the school bus.

• School buses are fitted with surveillance cameras.

• Parents drive to school with their kids’ names on the dashboard and children are individually escorted out by a school staff.

• People who see kids walk to school alone call the authorities.

• Parents who let their kids walk to school alone are reprimanded and are threatened to be charged with child endangerment.

What are the Benefits of Kids Walking to School?

• Walking to school builds character - It’s my kids’ way to independence.

• Walking prepares kids to navigate the world – Some experts believe that children who are chauffeured to and from school are not prepared to navigate the outside world.

• Walking is healthy – Lack of physical exercise is one of the major factors that contribute to chronic health problems and obesity in children these days. Walking to school give kids the chance to get physical exercise, get some fresh air and sunshine.

• Walking is cheaper and environmentally friendly – Gasoline  is expensive and driving adds to air pollution. According to the traffic officer, a lot of traffic accidents involving children happen because of the traffic hazards presented by Mama-Taxis.

With these things in mind, I give some tips as to how I got my kids ready for walking to school.

Make sure your child is ready -I rehearsed with my kids several times before school started. On the way to school, they have to cross the main street which is usually manned by 2 traffic guards during school days. However, they have to learn to cross on their own, just in case the guards aren’t around. If your child doesn’t feel too secure about walking alone, then walk with him or her until she gains confidence.

Choose the safest way – The safest way is not necessarily the shortest way. I showed my kids to take a way where they aren’t exposed too much to vehicular traffic. However, I did check it out several times, paying attention to hazards such as steps, dogs, water, insufficient street lighting etc. that they might encounter along the way.

Once they grow older and more street wise, I’m sure they’d take the shorter route. But that’s years away from now.

There is safety in numbers – I always emphasize this to my twin boys. They go to separate classes but they have similar schedules and the rule is: wait for each other. It is advisable that your child walks with other children even if it means making a detour. Talk to other moms and pool your kids together.

Leave the wheels at home – Bicycles, skates, and scooters, leave them at home until the kids are old enough. The safest way to get to school is walking, even though it may not be the fastest.

Make your child as visible as possible to motorists – Reflectors on jackets and school bags make children more visible to drivers. Kindergarten kids in Switzerland are required to walk the streets with some sort of reflector vests.

Do spot checks – I have to admit it. I spied on my kids during the first few weeks of school just to make sure they are alright. I also try to observe their behavior while walking. Are they being careful? I have stopped spying on them since but I do spot checks from time to time and tell them ‘I just happened to be nearby.’

Let go. And don’t feel guilty – I know a lady who’s been waging a battle for the last couple of years against her daughter, her daughter’s teachers, and her fears. She was traumatized as a child when she witnessed a friend fatally ran over by a car on the way to school. I can imagine how difficult it is for her to let go and let her daughter walk to school alone. But we cannot protect our kids forever. And we shouldn’t make our fears their fears. We have to let go at some stage, and we shouldn’t be feeling guilty either.

I used to be an office-based working mom. Currently I am a work at home mom (wahm), which unfortunately, many people don’t take seriously as work. But I am a working mom and my kids are at a childcare facility while I am typing this on my home computer.

It is with trepidation that I present the results of a study here that will surely illicit strong reactions from other working moms out there, reactions that may probably range from outrage, defensiveness, to guilt.

Kids of Working Moms Are Less Healthy

It’s true, according to a study reported by MSNBC. British researchers looked at 12,500 children aged 9 months to 5 years and analyzed their dietary habits and physical activity. The results showed that kids of working moms, regardless of their race, maternal education, job level or whether they are working full time or part-time, are less healthy. For example, they are more likely to eat junk food and spend more time in front of the TV or the computer. In addition, they are more likely to be driven to school and snack on chips and sweetened drinks. The researchers put the blame on the time constraints of working moms.

Now, before we overreact and blast the researchers for their bias against working women, let’s take a deep breath and look at ourselves and our family whether there is any truth to their findings. And if your first thought would be “I don’t have time for this,” then they’re right.¨

I suggest that we take the results of the study as a constructive criticism and an opportunity to check out our current lifestyle. There is a lot that we can do and here are my suggestions:

What’s in the Fridge?

If there’s no or very little produce in your fridge or in your pantry, then you have to rethink your family’s dietary habits. There are fresh produce that keeps long and this includes tomatoes, cucumber, bananas capsicum, and apples. Incorporate these into your shopping list and weekly menus.

What’s in Your Child’s Lunchbox?

If there are only potato chips, cookies or peanut butter sandwiches in there, then there’s something missing. An apple or a banana would be a health addition. Apples are especially great – they keep, they are sturdy, and can fit in a pocket. Choose the sweet varieties such as gala, pink lady or golden delicious.

Junk Food

Another British study reported that people who consume too much sweets as children have a tendency towards aggression in adulthood. So why do some of us keep buying junk food for our family against our better judgement? Some suggest it may be guilt, that those treats are our way of saying sorry for not spending enough time with our kids. Some people think if they don’t get it at home, they’ll get it somewhere else. In a previous post, I’ve listed some tips on children’s nutrition.

Communicate With Your Child.

How did his/her day go? If it’s just all about TV shows or video games, then it’s time to look for alternatives. What about a sports club? Soccer and tennis camps during the holidays? Active family outings on the weekends? Don’t wait until your child becomes overweight. The earlier they start the better.

Childcare

It is not easy to find the perfect childcare provider but we should make the effort to monitor what kind of care is being provided. My twin boys started at a daycare at 12 months, preschool-daycare at 3 years. Now at 1st grade, they attend after school childcare provided by our town. In other words, I’ve had experience about checking out childcare facilities. I, for one, wouldn’t go for a daycare with a TV set. I talk to the caregivers about the daily activities and compare their version with my child’s version. It’s not that I don’t trust them. I simply want to know whether I am getting my money’s worth. Yes, I pay for childcare and I make sure that as the customer, my child gets what he/she needs in terms of healthy food and physical exercise. The same goes if you have a nanny or a babysitter coming in. I am not saying you have to install a nanny cam at home but if we need crosschecks at work, there should also be some at home.

Some of us may not have the means to pay for childcare. A family member such as grandma or aunt might have to pitch in to help with the child care. Check their dietary and exercise habits. Talk to them about nutrition and health. A healthy child needs a healthy caregiver.

Look Within

Your diet and physical activity level reflects that of your family. What you eat at breakfast and at suppertime, your children eat. You are their role model and they learn your good and bad habits. A workout or a run is a great way to wind down. But how do you include your children into your adult exercise routine? Do cycling or inline skating together. I am not keen on both so my kids do either why I jog along side. It helps me keep up my pace. Check out Mrs.H’s list of habits of a healthy family.

I know that as working moms, we are juggling too many things at the same time: motherhood, job, marriage. It is difficult to be a career woman and the perfect mom at the same time. But hey, it’s not about being perfect that counts. It’s about being happy and healthy.

Former Wilson Philips singer Carnie Wilson is now a second time mom. The 41-year old gave birth to a baby girl on Friday June 19. Mickey Shapiro, Wilson’s manager was quoted as saying to People magazine that she was “happy as a lark.”

Wilson has been married to musician Rob Bonfiglio since June 2000. The new arrival, Luciana Bella joins big sister, 4-year old Lola Sofia is four years old. The new baby weighed 6 pounds, 5 ounces and was 19 inches long at birth. Wilson gave birth at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Wilson has been open about her struggle with weight. She is quoted on a movie website as saying, “Was I a perfect gastric-bypass patient? Yes. Was I the perfect gastric-bypass pregnant woman? No. I made a decision to enjoy my pregnancy….So sue me! But I’ve learned a lesson: Next time I’ve got to watch the carbs.” Clearly she also had issues with weight gain during pregnancy.

Wilson is the latest in a string of celebrity moms who are having children in their 40’s. Other moms in the so-called, ‘advanced material‘ group are Halle Berry, Nicole Kidman, Madonna and Marcia Cross to name a few. While some over-40 celebs have used expensive reproductive techniques to become pregnant, this is not always the case.

Congratulations to Carnie Wilson and her husband Rob Bonfiglio on the birth of their second daughter. Hopefully Wilson will be able to finally win in her battle with obesity, not only for herself but also for the sake of her growing family.

There is a growing body of evidence that the current problem of obesity can be traced back to childhood, even back to the womb. A recent post reported that 1 in every 5 4-year olds is overweight or obese. In this post I present the latest research updates on childhood obesity.

The growth charts and obesity

Researchers at the Harvard Medical School report that the rate of weigh gain during the few months of infancy is an indicator of risk for obesity later in life. The researchers did not only look at the weight gained by babies but also at the length as well as the weight-length relationship. After all, babies are growing in different dimensions. The study results suggests that babies who gain weight rapidly during the first few months are more likely to be overweight at early childhood, even as early as age 3. While this research brings good news to moms who worry because their babies are not gaining enough weight as specified in the growth charts, this is worrying news for moms like me whose kids did gain weight rapidly during the first few months after delivery. I had twin preemies, one of them clearly underweight, but somehow managed to almost catch up with his brother in just a few months. Both did gain weight fast mainly due to a combination of pumped breast milk and specially fortified formula for preemies – and well, the fact that they are such good drinkers. I’m glad to say, though at after almost 6 years, they never had any problems with weight due to a combination of proper diet and sufficient exercise.

BPA, phthalates and obesity

Some more bad news about phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA). Phthalates are those potentially carcinogenic chemicals found in cosmetics and other toilet products (including baby products!). BPA is the potentially harmful chemical found in plastic (including plastic baby bottles!). These two chemicals could potentially be linked to childhood obesity. Researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine measured high levels of BPA and phthalates in the urine of overweight kids. These two chemicals are considered to be endocrine disruptors that interfere with hormones that regulate growth and development. More studies are needed to clarify their roles in childhood obesity.

One in five preschoolers are obese, according to researchers at Ohio State University. That adds up to half-a-million obese four year olds in America.

Baby fat is adorable, and even necessary for survival. Babies are designed to be fat, because fat is needed to help babies regulate their temperature. Those adorable little rolls around their tummies? Their sausage-y legs, fat little fingers, chubby cheeks and squidgy little knees? Precious.

As babies become crawlers and toddlers, and become more aware of the relationship between having a coat on and not being cold, being fat is not vital for survival. And crawling and toddling and running uses up calories and builds muscles, so that baby fat is designed to gradually disappear.

It seems like that isn’t happening in many of today’s children. Many people can tell you their opinion of why people are getting heavier, and getting heavier younger.  Perhaps our kids are getting less exercise, maybe they are eating more food, or the wrong kind of food. Perhaps it’s a combination.

Most of us know that a healthy diet and plenty of activity is vital for maintaining a healthy weight, and that seems to apply to everyone from babies on up.

And the researcher’s best non-obvious advice for preventing a baby becoming an overweight toddler and an obese preschooler?  Helping baby recognise when they are full. Babies are born knowing when they have had enough to eat, and trying to get a baby to eat more than she needs disrupts the natural system and may lead to overeating in future.

As you all know by now, I am one of those moms who are conscious about what my kids eat. And as I said before, when it comes to sweets, I believe in moderation but not total abstinence. Which is why I always have a pack of chewing gum in my handbag.

Chewing gum, I find, is very handy in certain situations. For example, chewing gum can:

Calm down restless, stressed or hyperactive kids. On long drives or train rides, I usually give out one piece (not one pack!) to each of my boys during the last 50 or so kilometres. “We’re almost there” just doesn’t do the trick anymore. However, the act of chewing seems to have a calming effect

Keep tired kids moving for few more minutes. On walks, hikes, or cycling tours, chewing gum can encourage my boys to go on, at least for another half an hour or so till we get to our destination.

Prevent ear aches and being sick on the plane. A good trick to prevent an ear ache during take offs and landings is by swallowing. Having gum in their mouths make kids chew and swallow frequently. I also find that the chewing keeps them busy, distracting them from plane movements that might make them sick. Of course, this trick wouldn’t apply in Singapore where gum is banned.

The good thing is that, my boys are happy to chew on a piece of gum for half an hour or more so that I usually need only one piece for the aforementioned purposes. Of course I only buy the sugar-free kind.

Now, this new study revealed that it can serve another purpose. It seems chewing gum helps people forget cravings for snacks, especially sweet snacks. The researchers claim that chewing gum can potentially help in appetite control and weight management. Now, that’s another good reason to carry chewing gum, in addition to the fresh breath bonus, of course. But remember, if you ever give gum to your kids, make sure they you teach them how to dispose of them properly afterwards!

It is nice to know that some insurance companies can also have a social conscience and join the fight against obesity. We have already featured one such initiative – Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative.

Another initiative is called the Alliance for a Healthier Generation which is a joint initiative of the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation. The initiative recently announced the formation of the Alliance Healthcare Initiative – indeed an alliance between health groups, leading insurance companies, and other big corporations in fighting a common enemy – childhood obesity.

The Initiative offers comprehensive health benefits to children, obese or otherwise and the benefits will cover medical costs and professional dietary consultation. Doctors and registered dietitians will be reimbursed for closely following up children with obesity problems. In addition, it runs educational campaigns about childhood obesity and the holistic approach to fight it.

During its first year, the special benefits will be open to 1 million children all over the US. This will then be increased with the goal for the first 3 years to cover 25% of overweight children (equivalent to about 6.2 million children).

Behind the Alliance is none other than former President Bill Clinton (founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and American Heart Association President, Tim Gardner.

This is the first, and therefore a landmark initiative that involves insurers and corporate employers of America.

Some of the insurers who signed up for the initiative are Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and WellPoint.

Corporate supporters of the initiatve are Houston Independent School District, Owens Corning, Paychex and PepsiCo.

With these Initiatives fighting childhood obesity from different front, we might just have some hope in winning the battle.

That’s what officials told a hopeful father in the UK. Damien and Charlotte Hall have been married for 11 years, and after trying unsuccessfully to have a baby of their own, decided to try to adopt a child.

But officials in the city of Leeds in northern England told Damien that he would have to lose weight first as his risk of becoming ill or dying was too high.

Damien weighs almost 350 lbs, but says he doesn’t drink or smoke, and says that he walks regularly and is very active.

There is no official upper weight limit for potential adoptive parents in the UK, but very overweight or obese people are likely to be turned down. The Adoption Panel in Leeds says that they are “unlikely to approve applicants with a BMI over 40 because of the long-term health risks.”

The Adoption Panel told the couple that Damien could have another medical in six months time, and they could reconsider their case if he lost weight.

The couple are sad and say that even though they accept that Damien is overweight, and know that he is more at risk from heart disease and other serious health issues, that he doesn’t feel unfit or unhealthy. They say that surely, life with loving parents is better than life in a children’s home, even with the higher chance that he may fall ill? After all, we never know what might happen to even the slimmest and fittest of us.

Currently, thousands of babies and children are awaiting adoption in the UK.

Is it right to discriminate against prospective adoptive parents because of their weight?

Childhood obesity is a big issue these days and this study by Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters tells us age 2 might actually be the “tipping point” wherein doctors and parents should worry about weight control. Scaringly early, don’t you think?

The study looked at the health data of 111 children from 1 suburban pediatric practice. The researchers observed that children who are currently obese already started gaining weight as babies. By the time they reached 2 years old, 90% of these children were considered overweight. This emphasizes the need for vigilance on the part of the parents as well as the pediatricians. Current estimates of children obesity incidence in the US is at16%.

In an earlier post, MrsH reviews a study wherein parents are often wrong is estimating a child’s healthy weight. Are we perhaps as parents really blind when it comes to our children’s weights? Is what we parents consider “baby fat” actually the start of a lifetime problem for our children? That our “chubby” two-year old may actually be obese? If so, then it’s time we open our eyes.

Remember the old wives’ tale that everything should be chewed at least 20 times? Remember when our moms reprimanded us for “wolfing down” our food? However, don’t we sometimes wish that our kids would finish their plate and could just eat a little bit faster?

According to a recent study by Japanese researchers, people who eat fast have the tendency to be overweight. Men and women who are fast eaters are 84% and 50% (respectively) more likely to be overweight than those who consume their food at normal speed.

The reason for this, as Professor Ian McDonald to the University of Nottingham tells BBC, is the signaling system that tells the brain to stop eating when the stomach is full. If you eat too fast, the stomach is filled up before the gastric feedback signal kicks in so that the stomach can get overfilled.

There was a time when food was scarce and competition high so that eating fast had an evolutionary advantage. However, such a practice nowadays leads to obesity with serious health consequences. Scientists are therefore recommending that kids be encouraged to eat slowly and be allowed to stop when they feel they are full. (Mrs H, you were right when you wrote that “finish your plate” is not a good dining policy!). I hope I remember their recommendations next time I am tempted to say at the breakfast table “Eat quickly now or we’ll miss the bus!”

Based on this study, the terms “fast food” and “slow food” take a whole new meaning, although in the end the results are the same – extra pounds.

We have a new scapegoat. Turns out, it isn’t our own fault if our little kids get fat. Just blame it on Tony the Tiger. A consumer watchdog agency in Great Britain, known as Which?, berated the so-called cartoon villains for promoting poor eating habits in children.

On the list of bad guys is Tony the Tiger, Quicky the Nesquik Bunny, Snap!, Crackle! And Pop!, as well as Coco the Coco Pops monkey.

According to Which?, these characters are not using their star power to help fight childhood obesity, and for that, the government should step in. Not one of the 19 food cartoon favorites is promoting healthy foods, they say. (Personally, I always thought that Rice Crispies were fine as long as I didn’t put sugar on top?) In the spirit of forbidding a friendly-looking camel from selling cigarettes, a Which? survey found that consumers agree: these companies should not be allowed to use cartoons to sell junk food.

They even lambasted a happy cow selling dairy products – because ceese has a lot of saturated fat and salt.

They are calling for voluntary action by the food industry, followed up by government regulation if that fails. Keep in mind, this is a British organization, but there are such regulations here in the US.

Kelloggs defended itself and its cartoons, saying the characters pre-date the childhood obesity problem. I agree with their spokesman, that removing cartoons from cereal marketing campaigns is not the magic bullet to helping chubby kids. But I have a secret. The magic bullet is this: ‘No.’

Whose fault is it if my children are overweight? Mine. Even if they did get fat by eating sugary cereal – whose fault is it that they have access to the cereal? Mine! And it’s for precisely this reason that I do not buy sugary cereals. I don’t even buy Honeynut Cheerios or instant oatmeal (unless it’s low sugar) because I don’t want my son to get in the habit of having dessert for breakfast. If my son asks for something I know isn’t good for him, I use the magic bullet and say, ‘No.’ We splurge on the weekend with homemade pancakes and maple syrup.

Should companies be allowed to use cartoons to appeal to children? Should the government step in and tell parents that since they are incapable of making decisions for their kids, or incapable of refusing to buy something for their kids, that companies should not be allowed to advertise with something that kids may like? Maybe it should be illegal to have a playground at a fast-food restaurant. After all, the kids might ask to go.

There’s the concern over transfat, and the concern over additives and preservatives in fast food meals in general. You’ve probably thought to yourself that that once in a while treat can’t hurt. And they’re so tiny in portions, at least you won’t have to worry about calories? Well, you can add shockingly high calories to the negatives attributed to kiddie fast food meals.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, the same organization that made unsavory revelations for Chinese takeout and movie popcorn, has revealed the following for kid’s meals in KFC, Taco Bell, Sonic, Jack in the Box, and (my favorite!) Chick-fil-A and eight others:

• 90 % have far more than a meal’s worth of calories.
• Most are loaded with fat and salt too.
• 93% exceed 430 calories per meal, which is the most a child 4-8 should eat in a day.
• Some meals have as much as 1200 calories!
• Subway had the best rating, with 33% of its kids meals exceediing 430 calories.

Said Margo Wootan, CSPI nutrition director

“Most of these kids’ meals appear to be designed to put America’s children on the fast track to obesity, disability, heart attack, or diabetes.”

Harsh words, but parents should heed it. If you’re planning on treating your kids to a fast food meal this weekend, inspect and critique the menu, and maybe go to Subway.

People who live in older neighborhoods, those not designed around cars, tend to be slimmer than those in modern neighborhoods and suburbs. Your neighborhood might be making you fat.

I can completely understand this. Until last year, I used to live in a 1980s suburb in California, built for car-owners, where the only thing I could walk to was a gas station.

Now, after moving to the Midwest, I’m lucky to live in a great neighborhood built in the 1920s. The local historical society has a cute photo from the 1930s of a car driving down a local street, with two little boys looking at it like it had landed from space. I can walk to a couple of parks, the chemist, a supermarket, my son’s pediatrician, and a cool coffee shop with my son. If I’m feeling energetic I can push a stroller to two museums and walk along a river bank.

I’ve lost 10 lbs from the walking. It’s also wonderful to be able to set an active example to my son, I’m supporting local independent businesses, and I’ve saved money on gas… although spent it on lattes. Mama has to have caffeine!

I really appreciate my neighborhood. After living in year-round-sunshine California, it was a shock that frigid temperatures kept us indoors most of the winter. So this spring and summer, we’ve been out and taking advantage of our neighborhood.

You can find out the “Walk Score” of where you live on WalkScore.com (My house got a 74 out of 100, woo woo!) and while you can’t do much about the walkability of where you live right now, it might be useful if you are planning to move home any time soon.

It’s an oft-trumpeted problem in the U.S., the growing number of children who are now considered obese. But I was shocked to read that this is an issue being battled in China, where healthy diets and lean bodies are often cited. The numbers according to the Chinese National Task Force on Childhood Obesity: 1 in 5 children under 7 yrs. old are overweight, and of those, 7% are obese.

According to the Task Force, the numbers above is higher than those found in European countries. What happened? It seems that culprit is an increasing consumption of high-fat, high-sugar foods, and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Chinese families are enjoying growing prosperity, and putting more food on the table, gaining more access to computer use and video games, and less of a demand in terms of physical labor. There is also an increasing proliferation of fast foods available.

Interestingly enough, Chinese parents are proud of their big kids, often taken as proof of the family’s prosperity.

Source: USA Today , BabyCenter.

The number of pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes has significantly increased in the last seven years especially among teenagers. No, I am not referring to gestational or pregnancy diabetes. In this case, it`s the type 2 diabetes which is related to obesity that is most commonly observed.
Here are some statistics to think about:

? 1999 – the incidence of diabetes is 8 per 1,000 pregnancies

? 2005 ? the incidence increased to 18 per 1,000 pregnancies

? The highest increase is among 13- to 19-year-olds mothers

This is based on the study of 175,000 women of different ethnic group who gave birth in Kaiser Hospitals in Southern California. Diabetes before pregnancy is more common among African Americans, Asians and Hispanics than whites.

Diabetes in pregnant women increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth or babies with birth defects. Thus, diabetic women should plan their pregnancy to avoid these problems. Doctors encourage diabetic women to seek medical help at least three months before they plan to have a baby so they can increase their folic acid intake and control their blood sugar levels. Overweight women are also advised to lose weight before getting pregnant. Diabetic women can have healthy babies if they plan ahead and consult their doctors prior to pregnancy.

Source:

WebMD, 29 April 2008

Lawrence, J.M. et al Diabetes Care, May 2008

A two-year experiment in five elementary schools in Philadelphia reduced obesity in kids.
And here`s how they did it:

? Sodas were replaced with fruit juices, water and low-fat milk.

? Snacks were scaled back in terms of fat, salt and sugar content.

? Candy was completely out.

? Raffle tickets for wise food choices were given out.

? Kids were encouraged to do exercise at activity stations during recess.

? Kids, parents, and teachers were given extra lessons about good nutrition.

The experiment included 1,349 pupils in grades four to six, 40% of which were overweight or obese at the start of the study. These pupils` weights were monitored and their food and exercise data were recorded. The diet changes were made to the food in vending machines and the school cafeteria.

Their results: The number of kids who gained excess weight in experimental schools dropped and was only about half compared to kids in schools with unaltered diet programs.

The results indicate school-mediated change in diet as well as physical activities seem to help mitigate obesity in children. However, such a program alone cannot fully resolve this rather ever-increasing problem. Despite the diet change, there were still plenty of newly recorded overweight kids in the five schools. True, it was less than in other schools with unaltered diets – 7 % vs 15 % – but 7% overweight kids is 7% too many.

The researchers suggest that such diet programs should start earlier and gym classes should be integrated. Furthermore, food sources outside school ? at home!!! ? should also be taken into account.

Source:

MSNBC, 7 April 2008

Related articles and posts on children obesity:

Balanced & Healthy Eating for Toddlers

Skipping Breakfast can make Teens Obese

Preventing Obesity in Young Children

Obese men have poorer quality semen compared to those men with normal weight. A US study compared the semen quality of 94 men with normal weight and 168 men who are overweight.
The results showed that obese men have low motility sperm and low sperm counts compared to normal weight men. These findings show that the accumulation of fatty tissue in men may lead to low testosterone levels and high estradiol levels. This hormonal imbalance results in poor quality semen in obese men. The research also showed that erectile dysfunction is not related to weight. Both obese and normal weight men have equal chances of having this problem.

Source:

Hammoud et al. Male obesity and alteration in sperm parameters. Fertility and Sterility, 2008

Young ladies and gentlemen, if you think that skipping breakfast is one way to lose weight, you?re wrong!

Recent studies showed that American teenagers who skip breakfast are more likely to be obese than those who eat a morning meal. This is based on the study of 2216 students in Minneapolis and St. Paul middle and high schools from 1998 to 1999 and again from 2003 and 2004. The survey showed that almost 19% of the boys and 14% of the girls skip breakfast. The majority of these kids came from low-income homes and were non-white. It seems that these kids are skipping breakfast to lose weight. However, the study showed that teens that skipped the meal were five pounds heavier on average, ate less healthy food during the day and resorted to fast food or food from vending machines and exercised less frequently than those who ate breakfast.

Obesity means a person has too much body fat, while being overweight means a person’s weight is more than what is recommended for his or her height. Obesity is not only an issue of being fat but is linked to health problems such high cholesterol, high blood pressure, asthma, and diabetes. The number of obese teenagers in the USA has tripled over the past twenty years and is now a major health concern that needs to be addressed.

Source:

Bloomberg.com 3 March 2008

My friend recently delivered a gorgeous, healthy 6lb baby girl. Her weight was below average but certainly healthy. Her daughter gained weight at every checkup, but remained in the 10th percentile, some way below the average line. She exclusively breastfed, and her doctor told her, fairly brusquely, that her baby was not getting enough to eat, and she should supplement with formula. She left the appointment in tears.

After a conference with mom’s friends, she sought out another pediatrician for a second opinion. Doctor #2 examined her baby, and asked some questions. “How often does she nurse?” Every two hours. “Is she peeing, and pooping?” Plenty. “Does she seem happy most of the time?” Yes. “Your baby is perfectly healthy. You are doing a great job. Go home and carry on breastfeeding. She doesn’t need any formula.”

Telling a mom that her baby is underweight is one of the worst things a doctor can say, implying baby is underfed, starving and neglected, and to breastfeeding moms, that your body is not working properly. Many moms across the country hear it every day from a doctor pointing at a growth chart and feel that same awful feeling my friend did. Many moms quit or reduce breastfeeding to supplement with formula, or start encouraging baby to feed or nurse more and more to attain that perfect weight.

But hold on. Did you know that the modern growth charts are based on data gathered in the 1970’s about a small group of wealthy, white, high-protein formula fed babies in middle America? Hardly representative of the general population.

Breastfed babies are well known to naturally grow more slowly than formula fed babies, and high-protein formula fed babies grow fastest of all. The charts used by your pediatrician today are from heavier-than-average babies. Growth charts were reformulated in 2000 to include more breastfed babies, but more recent studies encompassing a wide variety of social and ethnic groups, breastfed and formula fed babies, still show that the “real” average baby is still somewhat lighter than the charts would have you believe.

The result is that doctors are telling many moms to feed normal weight babies more food.

Obviously there’s a lot of self-protection from doctors here. Most doctors would err on the side of caution and tell a mom to feed baby more, rather than risk a future lawsuit over a malnourished baby.

Well, the doctors have covered themselves, but what about mom and baby? Aside from making new mothers feel bad, overfeeding a perfectly healthy, normal weight baby leads to health problems in later life. Encouraging a full baby to eat more interferes with the natural feedback that stops overeating, and may lead to obesity later in life.

The World Heath Organization is reviewing data from the recent studies, and is considering bringing in new, more relevant charts. Hopefully more healthy babies will be left to decide how much they want to eat, and it will be easier for doctors to identify babies who really are underfed, or have a medical problem preventing them eating or digesting their food.

Have you been at the receiving end of a doctor unjustly telling you that your baby is underfed? How did you deal with it?

Source -Babies Overfed To Meet Flawed Ideal, New Scientist

A study at the University College in London has shown that unsupervised play outside causes children to become healthier and more sociable. These days we are very cautious about letting our children out alone and many children under the age of eleven are not allowed out unaccompanied.

Researchers claim that this can lead to obesity and a lack of independence. Children who go out on their bicycles or down to the park obviously get more exercise and fresh air as well as meeting with more people and having to deal with simple situations that may occur, such as talking to people, buying things in shops and crossing the road. Unfortunately there are often limited facilities available where parents feel safe letting their children go unaccompanied.

Obviously there is legitimate concern about stranger danger. Can this be balanced out with the benefits of allowing children out? Significant problems with strangers are rare, and have not changed much over the years, although we hear a lot about in the news. These days, with mobile phones and other technology, children can go out unaccompanied and, in many circumstances, can easily contact their parents should they run into difficulties.

Further Information

Still, I don’t know how comfortable I would be letting my daughter roam the streets. What are your thoughts?