Topic: childhood obesity

Moms Don’t Need A Study To Tell Us Restaurant Kid’s Menus Are Full Of Junk

Moms Don't Need A Study To Tell Us Restaurant Kid's Menus Are Full Of Junk

I’m a busy working mom. And approximately once a week, I give in to temptation and take my daughter out to dinner instead of scrounging around for a healthy meal at home. We try a variety of restaurants, and normally invite a friend or family member along for dinner conversation. It’s a pretty consistent habit for my daughter and me. And as a woman who frequently eats out with an elementary-age child, I didn’t need any study to inform me that restaurant meals – even at ‘family restaurants’ – really suck at providing tasty, nutritious options for children. More »

“Fat Letters” Informing Parents Their Kid Is Obese Are Not Solving Childhood Obesity

"Fat Letters" Informing Parents Their Kid Is Obese Are Not Solving Childhood Obesity

Quite a few parents in North Andover, Massachusetts were surprised when they received letters in the mail informing them their children were “obese.” These letters, which came from the school system, were designed as “part of a broader strategy to combat obesity,” according to the Huffington Post. But do schools really have a right to monitor the weight of their pupils?

More »

Out With The Snacks, In With The Structure: New FDA Proposal Could Ban School Junk Food

Out With The Snacks, In With The Structure: New FDA Proposal Could Ban School Junk Food

I still remember how my mom would occasionally give me an extra fifty cents to buy an ice cream cone or a cookie during lunch. It was a once-in-a-while thing — she didn’t let my brothers and I have a ton of junk — and always felt super special. In recent years, however, I’ve noticed that more and more kids come to school and wind up eating purely the fattiest, sweetest stuff they can get their hands on. And it’s really easy, too: the school is the one selling it. More »

Behold The 1st-Ever Diabetes Guidelines For Children (i.e. A Sign That Way Too Many Kids Have Type 2 Diabetes)

Behold The 1st-Ever Diabetes Guidelines For Children (i.e. A Sign That Way Too Many Kids Have Type 2 Diabetes)

Childhood diabetes used to refer mainly to type 1 diabetes–the kind caused by the body’s failure to produce enough insulin to process glucose. But type 2 diabetes–often called “lifestyle diabetes,” because it’s caused by the presence of fat molecules that block the body’s ability to process sugar–has historically been a problem for adults. (In fact, until recently, it was rare to see type 2 diabetes symptoms in anyone under 40). But thanks to poor nutrition and limited physical activity (and yes, childhood obesity) it’s become so common in young kids that the American Academy of Pediatrics just released their first Diabetes Guidelines for Children to help doctors and parents identify childhood diabetes symptoms and learn how to treat type 2 diabetes in kids. More »

Fast Food Is Now A Cause Of Asthma, Eczema For Kids; Here’s Why That’s A Good Thing

Fast Food Is Now A Cause Of Asthma, Eczema For Kids; Here's Why That's A Good Thing

Childhood obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease are the most commonly discussed side effects of eating fast food. But a new study says that’s only the beginning: Fast food could be a cause of asthma and eczema for kids, too. This is clearly terrible news for kids reared on vending machine snacks and Happy Meal dinners, but in the long run, it might actually help Americans wake up and change the way they eat. More »

McDonald’s Happy Meals Now Come With Free Books (And A Side Of Childhood Obesity)

McDonald's Happy Meals Now Come With Free Books (And A Side Of Childhood Obesity)

Ronald McDonald has been scrutinized for his contribution to childhood obesity; now, he’s taking an even more controversial tack in their bid to get families hooked on McDonalds Happy Meals: books. The fast food giant started distributing children’s books with their happy meals in the UK today, launching a five-week campaign and plan to distribute 15 million books by 2015. On the bright side, this means a lot of kids are getting free books, which are far more beneficial than happy meal toys. But on the not-so-bright side, free books at McDonald’s means more parents who are willing to stuff their kids with unhealthy fast food and soft drinks–ironically, in the name of doing something good for their kids. More »

Skyfall Called Worst Smoking Movie In 2012; Why Not Call Out Damaging Beauty Standards And Junk Food, Too?

Skyfall Called Worst Smoking Movie In 2012; Why Not Call Out Damaging Beauty Standards And Junk Food, Too?

‘Tis the season for the press to call out movies that glorify smoking; a noble cause, given that studies prove smoking in movies promotes real-life smoking, especially in kids. But every time I see a new headline scolding (spoiler alert: you are about to learn which movie is officially the worst movie for smoking in 2012) Skyfall and James Bond, I can’t help but think: Why are we letting movie producers off the hook for all the other bad stuff–from junk food in movies to damaging beauty standards and objectification of women–when it’s arguably a much bigger threat to public health than smoking at this point? More »

New Formula Can Predict Obesity At Birth (But Don’t New Parents Have Enough To Worry About?)

New Formula Can Predict Obesity At Birth (But Don't New Parents Have Enough To Worry About?)

Scientists have come up with a new formula that can accurately predict, at birth, whether a child will be obese. The formula, which you can access as an online calculator, estimates a newborn’s obesity risk based on his or her birth weight, the body mass index of the parents, the number of people in the household, the mother’s professional status and whether she smoked during pregnancy. In theory, this sounds great like a great health tool but I’m concerned about adding another worry to the already fierce pressures of new parenthood. More »

Report: Junk Food In Schools Accounts For 400 Billion Calories Every Year

Report: Junk Food In Schools Accounts For 400 Billion Calories Every Year

If you side with “hungry” high schoolers and uninformed lawmakers who care about business more than the health of our kids, you may think that new regulations on school lunches, which are designed to to cut down on junk food, are just too nanny state-ish. But it’s not just Michelle Obama who’s worried about the crap our nation’s students are eating. Retired military officers–yes, veterans–also believe passionately in the issue. They’ve released yet another report, called “Still Too Fat To Fight,” which states that junk food is still leaving America’s students too unhealthy to have a strong military presence. More »

Click for more posts