Childhood Obesity News and Research

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The Children's Agenda delivered to California's incoming policymakers

Citing the state's failure to prioritize kids, a comprehensive plan addressing the systemic education and health problems undermining children's development was delivered to California's incoming policymakers today. Authored by Children Now, the state's leading multi-issue research and advocacy group for children, The Children's Agenda details the top ten, high-priority, high-impact actions California policymakers should take to reverse the declining status of children.

21 Dec 2010

Quarter of all British school children obese: Report

A quarter of all British school children are obese and by the final year of primary school, the proportion rises to a third. Experts believe that this is not even the actual figure because many children opt out of being weighed. Urban children were much more likely to be overweight than those living in more rural areas.

16 Dec 2010

Pelosi releases statement on Obama's signing of Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act

Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today after she attended a ceremony this morning where President Obama signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. This bipartisan legislation will improve the quality of meals students eat at school, increase the number of healthy meals available to needy children, and provide the first real boost in the federal reimbursement rate for school lunches in more than 30 years.

14 Dec 2010

Expert panel explores how to engage pediatricians, primary care physicians in preventing childhood obesity

As the prevalence of childhood obesity approaches epidemic levels, physicians on the "front line" need to become more involved in obesity prevention and weight management to reverse this dangerous trend among their young patients. But several obstacles discourage pediatricians and other primary care physicians from taking a more active role in managing childhood obesity.

9 Dec 2010

Researchers examine relationship between childhood obesity, physical activity

Scientists may have discovered a new trend in childhood obesity, according to research published this month in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine. In comparing physical activity levels among American children, researchers discovered that the most overweight and obese ethnic groups are also some of the most active.

7 Dec 2010

Pelosi calls for House passage of child nutrition reauthorization legislation

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy, Congressman Jim McGovern and Senator Blanche Lincoln held a press conference call this afternoon to urge House passage of child nutrition reauthorization legislation, which the Senate has already passed. Below are the Speaker's remarks:

1 Dec 2010

Highmark, Alliance for a Healthier Generation collaborate to expand childhood obesity benefits

Thirty-nine percent of the children living in Pennsylvania are overweight and are at greater risk of developing such chronic diseases as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease than the generation before them. To continue its efforts to address childhood obesity, Highmark Inc. has collaborated with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation to expand its obesity benefits for children in 2011.

30 Nov 2010

New book to prevent childhood obesity

Today, childhood obesity contributes to a number of potential health risks. Written in an easy to read format, with lively, colorful characters, 'In Moderation' is a children's book that provides simple advice that can significantly reduce over consumption and prevent childhood obesity.

24 Nov 2010

Lifestyle-related diseases will be costly down the road; Americans rate their healthcare highly

Increased efforts to prevent several lifestyle-related diseases could save the United States billions of dollars a year in medical costs, according to a study scheduled to run in the American Journal of Public Health.

24 Nov 2010

Scientists establish new biological links between early puberty and obesity

An international group of scientists, including researchers at the Medical Research Council (MRC), has discovered 30 genes that control the age at which girls reach sexual maturity. They found that many of the genes responsible for puberty also play a strong role in how the body metabolises fat, establishing new biological links between going through puberty at a young age and being at increased risk of obesity.

23 Nov 2010

Childhood obesity linked to adult metabolic abnormalities and cardiovascular disease

Mounting evidence linking childhood obesity to an increasing risk of obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other cardiovascular and metabolic disorders in adulthood is clearly presented in a comprehensive review article in the current issue of Childhood Obesity, published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. The article is available free online.

19 Nov 2010

Study finds Hispanic children are susceptible to develop fatty liver disease

Two studies from the Childhood Obesity Research Center at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) have found evidence that Hispanic children and adolescents are genetically predisposed to developing fatty liver disease a condition that can lead to cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

18 Nov 2010

Canadian government announces new research initiative on childhood obesity

The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, today announced new initiatives for research on physical activity and childhood obesity through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

16 Nov 2010

Obese teens become obese adults

A new report shows that obese adolescent Americans tend to carry their extra weight into adulthood. The nationally representative study of American youth showed that one in 12 teenagers became severely obese as they entered adulthood with some 100 pounds above their ideal weight. And nearly half the girls and more than a third of the boys who are obese as teenagers grew up to be obese adults with a high risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and certain types of cancers.

10 Nov 2010

New research highlights importance of parent-child communication to combat obesity

New research, announced Saturday at the American Dietetic Association (ADA) Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo in Boston, highlights the importance of parent-child communication in the battle against childhood obesity.

9 Nov 2010

Study finds impact of pre-transplant BMI on post liver transplant survival in pediatric population

A new study from the University of Washington reported obese children are at increased mortality risk in later years following primary liver transplantation (LT).

29 Oct 2010

Joined-up approach to evaluate childhood obesity programmes

A united front is needed to tackle childhood obesity effectively, according to researchers at the University of Hertfordshire's Weight and Obesity Research Group.

28 Oct 2010

Playnormous Video Games receive Creative Child Magazine's 2010 Media of the Year Award

As childhood obesity rates continue to shock the nation, parents and teachers alike are seeking resources to help children learn about making healthier choices. Playnormous, an award-winning producer of research-based health video games and media, puts the power of good health back into the hands of children through creative gameplay. And parents agree. The company's first CD-ROM, Playnormous: Fun For A Change Health Video Games, has been awarded Creative Child Magazine's 2010 Media of the Year Award.

27 Oct 2010

Junk food taxes not the answer for childhood obesity: Report

A Productivity Commission report, “Childhood Obesity: an Economic Perspective”, released this Monday said that junk food taxes were not a cure for childhood obesity. It read, “Bans or taxes on particular energy-dense nutrient-poor foods, for example, face design difficulties, affect all consumers regardless of their weight status, and in the case of taxes, can have perverse budgetary and health effects particularly for the neediest groups.”

25 Oct 2010

Aortic stiffness seen in obese children

The blood vessels of obese children have stiffness normally seen in much older adults with cardiovascular disease, Dr. Kevin Harris today told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010, co-hosted by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society and the Heart and Stroke Foundation. The clock is ticking and the shape of the 13 year-old-heart is changing - for the worse.