Children's health
07 Dec 2007
Tweens Double Use of Diabetes Drugs
America’s tweens more than doubled their use of type-2 diabetes medications between 2002 and 2005, with girls between 10 and 14 years of age showing a 166 percent increase. The likely cause: Obesity, which is closely associated with type 2 diabetes. The finding is included in a study of chronic…
Children's health
07 Dec 2007
Obesity-Related Hormone is Higher in Children with Down Syndrome
Children with Down syndrome are more likely than their unaffected siblings to have higher levels of a hormone associated with obesity, according to paediatric researchers. The hormone, leptin, may contribute to the known higher risk of obesity among children and adults with Down syndrome. A research team from The Children’s…
Children's health
07 Dec 2007
Kids ‘eating their way into middle-age disease’
Both New Zealand and Australia are seeing the same lifestyle-related diseases that are occurring throughout the world, together with increasing disparities in health status. The 2007 Joint New Zealand & Australian Nutrition Societies Conference & Annual Scientific Meeting, entitled "Is the Quest for the Idyllic Lifestyle Killing Us?" and held…
Children's health
03 Dec 2007
Exercise Improves Thinking, Reduces Diabetes Risk in Overweight Children
Just three months of daily, vigorous physical activity in overweight children improves their thinking and reduces their diabetes risk, researchers say. Studies of about 200 overweight, inactive children ages 7-11 also showed that a regular exercise program reduces body fat and improves bone density. “Is exercise a magic wand that…
Children's health
27 Nov 2007
The Family that Eats Together stays Healthy Together
In this fast-paced world, it can be a challenge for families to find time to share a meal. But a nutritionist in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences says sitting down to eat as a family is worth juggling your schedule. “Research tells us that taking time for family meals…
Children's health
27 Nov 2007
Obese Pregnant Women Should Limit Weight Gain
Severely obese women should lose weight during pregnancy, while obese women who are pregnant should gain less weight than currently recommended, a Saint Louis University study finds. The research is the largest population-based study to look at the effect of weight gain during pregnancy by obese expectant mothers, says Raul…
Children's health
22 Nov 2007
Childhood Sexual Abuse has Lasting Effects
A University of Queensland study has found that women who experience certain types of sexual abuse (penetrative) in their youth are at increased odds of being overweight by the age of 21. The study, which drew from the responses of 1273 men and 1305 women aged 21 years, found while…
Children's health
22 Nov 2007
Diet Rich in Fatty Acids could thwart Diabetes Onset
Omega-3 fatty acids have long been touted for their heart-healthy and brain-boosting benefits. Consider cod liver oil, fortified infant formula and enriched eggs. Now a study of nearly 1,800 children at risk for type 1 diabetes has found that increased consumption of dietary omega-3 fatty acids appears to reduce the…
Children's health
22 Nov 2007
Quick-burning Carbs may cause Fatty Liver
Diets rich in rapidly-digested carbohydrates not only expand waistlines, but may also cause fatty liver, a condition that can lead to liver failure and death, finds a new study in mice. If confirmed in humans, the findings suggest that fatty liver disease – on the upsurge among Americans as a…
