Kids & Teens
2012 Shape of the Nation Report
With health threats from overweight and obesity still looming, physical activity in schools continues to be a hot button. How do U.S. children rank when it comes to physical education and exercise? Here are some highlights from the 2012 Shape of the Nation Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA:
14% of students did not participate in at least 60minutes of physical activity on any day during the 7 days before the survey.
71% of students were physically active at least 60 minutes per day on fewer than 7 days during the 7 days before the survey.
Muscularity in Young Men Linked to Mortality Rates
That 98-pound weakling may want to hit the gym if he hopes to live a long life. A study published in the British Medical Journal (2012; 345: e7279) suggests that male adolescents without much muscle strength may earn early death in adulthood.
The large study included 1,142,599 Swedish males aged 16–19 who were followed for 24 years. The primary focus was to determine whether muscular strength had any impact on mortality rates. Premature death in this study was considered death before 55.
Food Marketing to Children and Adolescents: An Update
The Federal Trade Commission has released its Review of Food Marketing to Children and Adolescents, and the conclusions indicate that there is still much to be done if industry self-regulation of food marketing to children is to become an effective way to protect the health of minors. The 2012 report is a follow-up to the FTC’s 2008 report, which Congress requested in response to dramatic increases in childhood obesity rates.
Four of the Marketing Methods
Kids’ Sleep, Obesity and Electronic Devices
The rates of overweight and obesity among kids continue to climb. Food choices and inactivity are considered major culprits. Are electronic devices also to blame?
Scientists from the School of Public Health at the University of Alberta have linked use of electronic devices, poor sleep patterns and obesity among Canadian 5th graders. The researchers surveyed sleep habits, food intake, physical activity levels, height and weight measurements, and nighttime use of electronic devices among 3,398 children.
Prevention Is the Best Policy for Kids’ Obesity
Avery Faigenbaum, EdD, is a professor in the department of health and exercise science at The College of New Jersey. With a specialty in pediatric exercise science, he has authored…
Kids’ Fitness Interventions Failing
Childhood obesity, inactivity and poor food choices are taking a toll on today’s youth. In some cases, structured exercise is encouraged for weight management. Unfortunately, this approach doesn’t seem to be working.
Sample Class: Kids’ Kickboxing
Kids naturally love to move. Why not take advantage of their innate urge to wiggle? This kickboxing class not only helps kids strengthen their muscles and hearts; it also teaches body awareness, coordination and balance. You’ll even provide an environment that builds self-confidence; however, students won’t know that! They’ll just remember how much fun they had and will spend the rest of the day showing everyone the cool moves they learned in class.
Preadolescents, Obesity and Exercise
Preadolescence is a time of major change and growth, bringing psychological, physical and social shifts for boys and girls alike. Caught between the carefree days of childhood and the first throes of being a teenager, “tweens” (roughly aged 9–12) are a force to be reckoned with. Like many other populations, preadolescents are suffering from lack of exercise, which threatens to chart a course toward obesity and disease.
5 Tips for Teaching Teens
As the group fitness industry grows, so does its target audience. Now more than ever, teens (aged 13–19) are attending group classes. They’re popping into their moms’ yoga and Pilates…
Let’s Move! A View From the White House
Now that the presidential election is decided, it’s a good time not only to note the progress of First Lady Michelle Obama’s main initiative, Let’s Move!, but to explore how…
Modeling Lifelong Healthy Habits for Kids
Dr. Muth is a pediatrician, registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics (CSSD). Muth also serves as an ACE Senior Fitness Consultant and subject matter expert, regularly contributing to ACE blogs and to the ACE Certified News monthly newsletter. Her first book, Eat Your Vegetables and Other Mistakes Parents Make: Redefining How to Raise Healthy Eaters, was published by Healthy Learning in May 2012.
ACE: As a registered dietitian and pediatrician, what would you say is the biggest challenge we face in overcoming the obesity epidemic?
Child Diabetes Rates Higher in China than in the United States
While rising rates of diabetes and prediabetes in U.S. children have been causing alarm in recent years, youth in China appear to be faring far worse.
For Chinese teenagers the rate of diabetes is nearly four times higher than it is for their counterparts in the U.S., say researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who examined data from the 2009 China Health and Nutrition Survey.
Raising Happy, Healthy Kids
You have probably read a lot about how today’s children are more overweight and obese than kids in past generations. But hearing actual statistics about the United States’ childhood obesity epidemic can be shocking.
Physical Education Compliance in Schools
A great deal of discussion has taken place regarding the importance of physical education (PE) in schools. Fortunately, many districts throughout the United States are required by law to offer…
Body Weight Bias Starts Early
Children are often thought of as “clean slates” when it comes to interpersonal relationships. However, researchers from Ryerson University in Toronto have found that children as young as 21/2 years…
Exercise for Young Athletes
What type of training will help your child improve at the sport he or she plays? Here’s what Brett Klika, director of athletic performance at Todd Durkin’s Fitness Quest 10 in San Diego, says, based on research and his extensive experience.
California School Nutrition Mandate Is Paying Off
Five years ago the state of California mandated stronger nutrition standards for its schools by limiting the calorie, fat, saturated-fat and sugar content of snacks sold on campuses. In July 2009, the state banned the sale of soda and other sweetened beverages in high schools. As with most investments, the dividends took some time to accrue, but today they seem meaningful.
DanceDanceRevolution Gets Schooled
This fall, Konami Digital Entertainment’s popular DanceDanceRevolution will arrive in various schools across the United States.
A developer, publisher and manufacturer of electronic entertainment properties, Konami has partnered with organizations like the American Diabetes Association®,
The National Foundation on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition and Let’s Move in School to encourage physical activity with Dance
DanceRevolution Classroom Edition.
Teenage Overweight and Obesity
In another study published in the February 20 issue of the Medical Journal of Australia (2012; 196 [3], 189–92), researchers explored the prevalence of overweight and obesity among students aged 12–17. They also wanted to understand factors associated with carrying the extra weight.
Active Video Games Not as Beneficial as Previously Thought
Scientists and fitness
professionals have spent plenty of time looking
for ways to encourage improved activity levels among children. To appeal to tech-minded youth, one possible
means for improving
fitness is active video gaming. However, a study published recently in Pediatrics (March 1, 2012; 129 [3], 636–42) suggests that this may not be as effective as previously thought.
