The Fat Report » Childhood Obesity

Is Childhood Obesity Child Abuse? Video

Chuck Edwards — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 06:44:32 +0000

Is Childhood Obesity Child Abuse?

Watch the video on YouTube.

CNN’s Paula Zahn interviews the president of National Action Against Obesity, MeMe Roth. The talk centers on whether a parent overfeeding their child constitutes abuse.

The case in question in this video is a troubling one. It focuses on a child who was more than 200 pounds overweight. Government child protection agencies had given the mother multiple warnings about providing proper care for her son. Those warnings had gone unheeded, until authorities finally stepped in and removed the child from the home. The case in this video happened in the U.K., but many state courts in the U.S. have been struggling with the question recently as well. For example, a 14-year-old boy who weighed 555 pounds was taken from his parents in South Carolina last summer.

Child Abuse

Zahn and Roth both advocate government intervention in cases of childhood obesity.

“I’ve gone on the record and said that obesity is absolutely child abuse,” says Roth. “It’s on the books in every state that jeopardizing the health of your child is against the law.”

Roth says that parents are ultimately responsible for the weight of their children, and if they’re not keeping their kids healthy, the government should step in. Critics, however, point out that this would lead to an unprecedented number of child protective custody cases, considering the number of obese or overweight children in the U.S.

Dr Kal’s Addendum:
I do believe that allowing your child to become obese is child abuse. Just as allowing your child to become a drug addict or alcoholic is child abuse. While that is easy for me to say, I am not sure what the government can do to protect these children. There are just too many of them.

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Child Obesity in America

Guest Poster — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 17:56:52 +0000

Child Obesity in America

By David Bohmiller

The epidemic of child obesity in America seems to have never been more prevalent than it is today. Even with all of the media attention on the increase in weight and the decline of activity of children all across our country, not enough seems to be happening to make the differences that the next generation needs to see. What is even more frightening is that we don’t need the television or obesity statistics to know that the problem isn’t going away; we can see it in our neighborhoods and sometimes in our own households.

There is hope. Education is key; education for parents, teachers, and the community, but also education for the kids. The more we all know, the easier it will be to create a change.

In working with men, women, and children as a Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, and Youth Sports Instructor over the past decade, I have seen the highs and the lows of fitness in America. Having been witness to some of those lows, I can still see a light at the end of the tunnel, but what’s more important is that the children see that light.

Know what? They do.

So, what can we do as individuals to start making a difference in the lives of children that may be suffering from childhood obesity?

Here are 4 Helpful Hints for Fighting Child Obesity in America

Be Supportive: When we least expect it, children are listening. Whether they seem mesmerized or distracted by the television, their iPods, or their cell phones our words, both positive and negative, stick. They will begin to model or try to become what they think you think of them.

If your consistent message is “you are overweight and all you do is sit in front of the TV all day”, then that is what they will eventually emulate. Positive reinforcement like, “You looked so fast running from the school bus to the front door today. I bet that’s why you’re doing so well in soccer,” is a great way to stimulate the activity you would like to see more of.

Lead by Example: My parents have always been my greatest heroes. Some of my favorite childhood memories were of playing baseball and soccer in the front yard, basketball in the driveway, or just racing my Mom and Dad up and down the street. It didn’t occur to me until years later how much of an impact that had on me growing up and is probably part of the reason that I’m writing this today. Thanks Mom and Dad!

Talk about It: Kids and adults browse through magazines, read newspapers, and watch the television daily. Look for your coaching opportunities. If a news clip comes on that focuses on child obesity in America, ask your kids for their thoughts. You may be surprised to find that their knowledge of the subject matter is more detailed than you originally thought. What’s even better? They may have some great ideas on stopping childhood obesity.

Never Stop Learning: If you have found this site, then you are already on the right track and it is obvious that you care about making a difference. The more you can learn about obesity for yourself, your friends, and your family, the more you can do to help stop it. Whether you are looking for new physical activities or games to play outside with the family, if it’s trying some new, healthy recipes, or getting involved in community education, the more knowledge you have, the more you will be able to share.

Thank you for joining the cause to stop child obesity in America and across the world.

David “Boh” Bohmiller holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education-Exercise Science from Bridgewater State College and is NSCA-CSCS certified. He is the owner of “My Personal Trainer School” headquartered near Boston, MA. Boh spends his days writing, performing health seminars, Personal & Group Training, consulting with athletic teams, and mentoring those new to the fitness profession. For more information, questions, or to schedule an interview, please contact David Bohmiller through his website http://www.my-personal-trainer-school.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Bohmiller
http://EzineArticles.com/?Child-Obesity-in-America&id=1150658

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Photo by woodleywonderworks.

Obesity PSAs Created By Children

Dr. Kal — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:48:27 +0000

Obesity PSAs Created By Children

All three public service announcements were created by children. While, it is quite obvious these children are not professional actors, the videos are still very informative. They are also hilarious.

However, the key point is not that they made the videos. The key point is that the kids who made these videos actually understand how to prevent obesity. They also understand the dangers of childhood and adult obesity. And knowing is half the battle. Hopefully, the children who watch the videos learn the same lessons.

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Obesity in America: Getting Started

Chuck Edwards — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:27:22 +0000

Obesity in America: Getting Started

WCIV News 4 in Charleston, South Carolina features the founder of Louie’s Kids, a scholarship program that helps overweight children get back to a healthier lifestyle.

Louis Yuhasz says he was never embarrassed by his father’s weight problem as he was growing up. His father eventually died from obesity-related conditions, after being transferred from hospital to hospital. Yuhasz says that none of the hospitals wanted to deal with a 500-plus pound patient, so each facility kept passing his father on to another clinic.

Louie’s Kids

His father’s death not only motivated Yuhasz to lose 30 pounds himself – it also spurred him to found Louie’s Kids. The program is a non-profit, named for Louie Yuhasz, which provides scholarships for obese or overweight teens and children – mainly in the form of weight loss camps and nutritional counseling. Since it was founded in 2001, Louie’s Kids has raised more than $250,000 to help kids battling with obesity and weight problems.

“It’s okay if you’re gonna be overweight your whole life,” says Yuhasz, “You just don’t have to have diabetes, and you just don’t have to have heart disease.”

Scholarships from Louie’s Kids average about $6,000 per child. Dozens of kids have benefited from Louie’s Kids scholarships, and have lost thousands of pounds between them. It’s estimated that 9 out of 10 kids that participate in the weight loss camps and after-programs keep the weight off, and continue to lose weight. For more information, visit www.louieskids.org.

Dr Kal’s Addendum:
Wow! Very inspiring. Louis Yuhasz changed tragedy into success. There are so many individuals in the weight loss business for selfish reasons. It’s great to see someone so selfless.

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Weight Loss Surgery for Teenagers

Dr. Kal — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:31:00 +0000

Weight Loss Surgery for Teenagers

The author in this article discusses a recent study published in Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

The study involved 40 morbidly obese teenagers who underwent a common weight loss surgery. The weight loss surgery uses laparoscopic adjustable banding (lap banding) and is frequently done on adults all around the world.

The results of the study were promising. The teenagers lost weight and:

Decreased their blood pressure
Decreased their blood sugar
Decreased their obesity-related musculoskeletal pain

While the results are promising, the fact that we have morbidly obese teenagers is saddening. Hopefully, we can execute better obesity prevention strategies to eliminate the need for these surgeries.

Source: Time

It’s Cookie Monster’s Fault

The author in this blog post discusses Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster’s place in the fight against childhood obesity.

In the post is a funny video excerpt from The View where the ladies debate whether or not Cookie Monster is a bad influence.

I do not have a degree in child psychology, but I don’t think that Cookie Monster has a huge effect on our children. Kids believe that cookies are good for them as much as they believe in monsters.

Source: Baltimore Sun

Healthy Schools Program

The author in this article discusses River Terrace Elementary School in Northeast Washington D.C., where a new health initiative has been implemented.

The initiative is called the Healthy Schools Program and it was created by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation. That alliance is associated with the American Heart Association. The Healthy Schools Program initiative encourages health education, proper nutrition, and adequate activity. The best part is that the children love it.

Source: Washington Post

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Dangers of Childhood Obesity

Chuck Edwards — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:42:03 +0000

Dangers of Childhood Obesity

A study has doctors talking about the dangers of childhood obesity. The arteries of 70 overweight or obese children were studied. Many are shocked by the results.

The study found that some of these teens and children – with an average age of 13 – had the arteries of 45-year-olds. Unless the problem is corrected, these overweight children will be at risk of heart attack, stroke or other illnesses by the age of 30. Doctors say the condition can take 5 to 20 years off a person’s life.

Children were more active 20 to 30 years ago. In the age of video games and high tech entertainment, kids are more likely to stay indoors and stay seated, rather than going outside to play. This has led to an obesity epidemic in America, with as many as 9 million children currently overweight or obese.

Along with obesity has come an explosion in diabetes rates. Diabetes is something the patient has to live with for the rest of their life.

This study should be a wakeup call for parents, and the key to turning the problem around starts at home.

Here’s the advice physicians have for parents:

Model good eating behavior for children. This includes keeping healthy snacks and foods in the refrigerator, and eating those foods with the children.
Keep the kids more active. Find activities outside the house that can be done as a family, to keep the entire household more fit.

For weight loss tips to help you lose weight and keep it off, check out Dr. Kal’s Weight Loss Tips.

Sleep Is Important

Dr. Kal — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 21:04:10 +0000

Americans Are Not Sleeping Enough

The author in this article discusses a recent study done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey based study involved over 400, 000 American adults.

The study showed that most most Americans are not getting enough sleep. Almost 70% of Americans were found to not get enough sleep every night. 11% of Americans were found to not get enough sleep on any night.

The researchers also found that:

Older Americans slept more than younger Americans
Men slept more than women
Hispanics slept more than non-hispanics
Working Americans slept more than non-working Americans

So, the next time you see an employed, older Hispanic man with a smile on his face, you will know why.

Sleep is very important to your overall health. Sleep deprivation can predispose you to weight gain and hinder weight loss. To get a more restful night’s sleep consider:

Exercising
Avoiding caffeine in the evenings, and
Taking the television and computer out of the bedroom.

Source: CNN

Let Your Kids Sleep In

The author in this article discusses a recent study done by researchers at The Chinese University in Hong Kong. The study involved over 5,100 children between the ages of 5 and 15.

Of the 5,100 children in the study, many of them did not get an adequate amount of sleep on school nights. However, amongst those children, the ones that slept extra hours during the weekend and on holidays were smaller than the ones who did not.

Sleep deprivation contributes to weight gain and prevents weight loss. Getting enough sleep every night is important. The sleep experts would typically say that you can not catch up on sleep. But, this study may be proving them wrong.

Your children should be sleeping at least 9 hours every night. If they do not get 9 hours on school nights, make sure they get at least 10 hours on weekend nights and holidays.

Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For weight loss tips to help you lose weight and keep it off, check out Dr. Kal’s Weight Loss Tips.

Photo by malias.

Cereal Killers

Dr. Kal — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:06:54 +0000

Source: USA Today

A new study has been completed by researchers at Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity. The study shows that most of the cereals targeted to children are unhealthy. Most of these cereals are high in sugar and sodium and low in fiber.

Glycemic Index

When compared to cereals advertised to adults, cereals advertised to children were found to have:

85% more sugar
65% less fiber, and
60% more sodium.

While, the sodium numbers are astonishing, the sugar and fiber numbers are disturbing. The glycemic index of a food estimates the insulin response you will have after consuming food. The higher the glycemic index, the more insulin will be released into your blood stream. High blood insulin is not good because it:

Slows metabolism
Increases fat storage
Causes you to get hungry faster

Cereal Killers

Some of the cereals found to be least nutritious were:

Reese’s Puffs,
Corn Pops,
Lucky Charms,
Cinnamon Toast Crunch and
Cap’n Crunch.

I knew Cinnamon Toast Crunch would be on the list. It tastes too good to be healthy.

More Bad News

The least nutritious cereals had the most advertisements.
Many of the least nutritious cereals had health claims on the boxes.
When given unhealthy cereals with no limitations, children ate two servings on average.

Some Good News

Most companies have decreased the sugar content of their cereals.
Children enjoy the healthier cereals as much as the low nutritious cereals.
Even when kids add sugar to the healthier cereals, they don’t reach the levels of the low nutritious cereals.
Kids are more likely to add fruit to the healthier cereals than the low nutritious cereals.

Bottom Line: Most cereals advertised to children are not healthy. Get your children low sugar, high fiber cereals and you will be amazed at how much they enjoy them. Better yet, make them some oatmeal with skim milk and cinnamon.

For weight loss tips to help you lose weight and keep it off, check out Dr. Kal’s Weight Loss Tips.

Photo by Mads Boedker.