Childhood Obesity

How to beat childhood obesity denial

Lately, we’ve been talking about weight denial. If you missed a post, get caught up below… Majority of parents practice childhood obesity denial Why are parents in denial when it comes to childhood weight issues? Why Beat Denial? If you have an inkling that your child may be overweight or if a doctor has mentioned [...]

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Study shows that health problems related to childhood obesity are worse than previously thought

A new gigantic study from Johns Hopkins and UCLA, shows that childhood obesity may be a more serious issue than previously thought. The study involved 43,297 children aged 10 to 17. Researchers on the study assessed how the weights and heights of the children were associated (or not associated) with 21 different indicators of general health, psychosocial [...]

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Child food portions are excessive in the United States

Everyone seems to think junk food causes weight gain, but really too much of any food can cause excess weight. Your child may eat healthy foods like whole grains, fish and veggies but if portion sizes are too large, it may be a moot point. Healthy eating isn’t just about the type of food but [...]

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Nearly one third of overweight adolescents see themselves as underweight or ‘about right’

Recently, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center released a study that showed that three in ten overweight teens believe they are actually underweight or “about right.” This was not based on a small study either; more than 65,000 high school students were included in this research, which is alarming to say the least. Nicholas M. Edwards, MD, [...]

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Is my child overweight?

If you’re concerned about your child’s health, then knowing if they’re at a healthy weight is important as excess weight really does pose health risks. Key point: weight is not all that matters when it comes to health Kids are always growing and changing, so sure, some do grow into their size. For example an overly [...]

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Is a chubby belly on kids and teens normal?

Excess belly weight, or what’s technically known as central obesity, is a new issue among kids and teens, and it’s not considered a normal part of development. Historically children and teens have had more active lifestyles than their parents, and typically have burned excess belly fat much better than their parents. Think back to your [...]

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Is excess weight an imaginary danger for kids or does excess weight pose very real health risks?

According to major health organizations, childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. When I’ve brought up childhood weight or obesity in the past, often I’m attacked by parents or other individuals who think I shouldn’t have brought the topic up at all. As I’ve noted before, weight, and child weight in particular is a [...]

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Childhood obesity linked to structural brain changes and poor mental ability

New research shows that obese children have some distinct structural abnormalities of the brain and that they have lower cognitive function than kids who are not clinically obese. The study, published in Pediatrics and supported by the National Institutes of Health, looked specifically at children with metabolic syndrome (MetS) . MetS stands for a group [...]

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Pediatricians fail to bring up weight issues with parents

Research published last year (Dec 5, 2011) in the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, shows that from 1999 through 2008, only 22% of parents of children with BMIs in the 85th percentile or higher reported that a doctor or health professional ever mentioned that their child was overweight. Oddly, the same research shows that doctors were [...]

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Should discussions about childhood obesity be off-limits?

Recent data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and other research shows that doctors are ignoring childhood weight issues. Parents and kids hate talking about weight too. Many of us avoid weight conversations at all costs. It’s too bad really, because like it or not, childhood obesity rates are at an all-time high. [...]