Children/Teens Articles

A new study sheds light on why many adolescent girls are gaining weight. A decline in activity in the transition from childhood to adulthood could be responsible, according to a study published in the July 23 issue of The Lancet (2005; 366 [9482], 301–7). In collaboration with others, Sue Y.S. Kimm, MD, from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, looked at activity ...

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has published a report that tackles the childhood obesity epidemic. Preventing Childhood Obesity: Health in the Balance, commissioned by Congress, says the nation must take “immediate action.” “Our nation has spent many billions of dollars to make incredible health advances related to genetics and other biomedical discoveries,&rdqu...

Moms (and dads) who want to find out what their kids are eating at school have a new weapon in their arsenal. MyNutriKids monitors what your children consume in the cafeteria. Sign up at www.mynutrikids.com....

The dangers of inactivity in children just became more grave. A study published in Dynamic Medicine (2008; 7 [5]) has found that sedentary kids, compared with their active counterparts, are five times more likely to develop metabolic syndrome by their teenage years. For kids with “low aerobic fitness,” the risk is six times as high. The authors analyzed data collect...

Adolescent girls who compete in athletic events sometimes fall victim to disordered eating, which has been linked to low bone mineral density (BMD). To explore the specific eating behaviors that lead to low BMD, researchers recently compared the attitudes and concerns of teenage girls who were endurance runners. The study participants were 93 female...

With the cost of produce climbing like a beanstalk, this may be the year to plant a garden. In addition to the vegetables you reap, your kids may sow many health benefits and develop good eating habits that last a lifetime. According to a study that appeared in the April 20, 2007, issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, children will eat more fruit...

Albertsons grocery chain has launched a new program that offers school kids a field trip to local stores to learn about healthy eating habits. The Albertsons Healthy Eaters™ program was designed to reinforce the nutrition and health curricula taught in schools by taking the children on super­market tours. Elementary-school children get hands-on instruction in food labels, proper portion sizes, nut...

Here’s another reason to encourage eating meals together as a family: your teenagers will have a lower risk of developing any type of disordered eating behavior. For a period of 5 years, researchers examined adolescent boys and girls and the frequency with which their families ate together. The aim was to track the connection between family meals and al...

According to research from the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty’s 2005 Global Study, “Beyond Stereotypes: Rebuilding the Foundation of Beauty Beliefs,” 70% of teenage girls who feel bad about their looks respond by withdrawing from life. They avoid school, cancel doctor visits and feel afraid to speak up in class. More than 90% of girls want to change at least one aspect of their appe...

Who will be the next Tiger Woods, Mia Hamm, Michael Jordan or Venus Williams? Many parents believe that, given the right amount of training, coaching and perseverance, it could be their child. There is a certain mystique about talented athletes, whether they are amateur Olympians or professionals, because of their sports mastery and the skills they display. It is not an easy path...