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An
Alarm Over Kids' Weight. This
five-part San Jose Mercury News series examines children's weight and
highlights results of a Kaiser Family Foundation survey of public
opinion on the subject (SJ Mercury, 3/7/04- 3/11/04) |
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View articles by topic:
Potential Risk of Anti-Obesity Campaign
In a focus group of 26 middle- and high-school students that was part of the Mercury News/Kaiser Family Foundation Survey on childhood obesity, girls reported mixed feelings about body image, with some feeling satisfied and others unsatisfied with their bodies. All the hype over the obesity crisis actually may be leading to an increase in eating disorders among girls, according to the article. Our Foundation's upcoming forum, co-sponsored with Kaiser and the Mercury, is mentioned.
(SJ Mercury, 3/11/04, by Quinn)
Study: Anger Management May Have Role in Teen Obesity
According to researchers, children who have difficulty expressing feelings or often lose their temper are at higher risk for weight gain than those who control their anger effectively. The study tracked a group of 160 adolescents, ages 14 to 17 .
(Scripps Howard News Service, 3/5/04, by Bowman )
How to Help Your Kids Battle Obesity
This article provides tips for parents on how to help children eat well and get the recommended amount of physical activity each day.
(Seattle Times, 2/4/04, by Sommerfeld)
VERB Ad Campaign Helping Preteens Become More Physically Active
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that its national ad campaign, VERB, helped increase physical activity in 9- and 10-year-olds to an average 4.3 times a week, compared to 3.3 times a week in 2002. However, the campaign was not as successful among 11- to 13-year-olds, and officials are working to change that. Through the campaign, the CDC encourages children to be active for at least an hour a day.
(SF Chronicle, 2/29/04, By Dreyfuss)
'Tweens' Shaping Up at Health Clubs
Health clubs, gyms, and community centers are beginning to create classes that focus on preteens in an effort to battle America's obesity crisis.
(The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2/4/04, by Giordano)
Kids Learn from Packing Their Own Lunch
Providing kids with the opportunity to make their own decisions about what they pack in their lunch, within reason, may have unforeseen benefits. Kids gain confidence in the kitchen, become discriminating shoppers and learn to plan ahead, according to an article written by a sixth-grader. The article is part of the Mercury News , Kaiser Family Foundation, Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health joint project on obesity.
(SJ Mercury, 3/17/04, by Kaufmann)
An Alarm Over Kids' Weight
This five-part San Jose Mercury News series examines children's weight and highlights results of a Kaiser Family Foundation survey of public opinion on the subject.
(SJ Mercury, 3/7/04- 3/11/04)
TV's Role in Childhood Obesity
Thomas Robinson, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics and medicine, participated in a Washington, D.C., forum sponsored by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, about Kaiser's new report that reviewed studies on the link between childhood obesity and the media.
(Washington Post, 2/25/04, By Shen)
A Push for Limit on Ads Aimed at Kids
This article, noting that the American Academy of Pediatrics plans to lobby for more limits on ads, cites a study by Thomas Robinson, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics and medicine at Packard Hospital, that examined the correlation between childhood obesity and TV watching.
(Wall Street Journal, 3/15/04, by Pereira and Warren)
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Study: Overweight Children More Likely to Develop Diabetes
A study by the California Center for Public Health Advocacy found a correlation between adult diabetes and unfit children. The examination of death certificates found that more adults are dying of diabetes in areas where childhood obesity is especially prevalent.
(SF Chronicle, 2/27/04, by May)
Dairy May Help Reduce Weight Gain in Children
Lynn Moore, an epidemiologist at Boston University, reported findings at a recent American Heart Association meeting in San Francisco that as few as two servings a day of dairy food is linked to a substantial reduction in adolescent weight gain. The amount of dairy products children eat has declined over the past 20 years, with some kids believing that dairy products contribute to weight gain.
(SJ Mercury, 3/5/04, by Haney)
Restaurant Chains Not Providing Healthy Food Choices for Children
The Center for Science in the Public Interest says that many sit-down restaurants in America fail to provide healthful choices for children.
(United Press International/WTOP News, 2/25/04)
Poor Diet May Soon Replace Tobacco as the Biggest Killer
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 400,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2000 could be linked to poor eating and exercise habits. This figure is rapidly gaining on tobacco, which accounted for roughly 435,000 deaths nationwide.
(SF Chronicle, 3/10/04, by Hall)
Childhood Obesity An Epidemic, Say Duke Researchers
Researchers at Duke University are releasing a report today on child well being that says the childhood obesity crisis should be considered a "modern day epidemic." According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2002, 15.6 percent of children ages 12 to 19 were obese, up from 6.1 percent in 1974.
(NY Times, 3/24/04)
Obesity Crisis Could Attract Lawsuits, Just as Cigarette Smoking Has
Lawyers expect an increase in legal cases involving the food industry and obesity. They anticipate such cases will be centered on children, with a focus on advertising and schools.
(NY Times, 4/9/04, by Zernike)
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Crackdown on Soda Machines in Schools
About two dozen states are considering a total ban or limits on vending machine products at schools after California led the way last year with its ban on soft drink sales at elementary and junior high schools. Schools, however, are concerned about the fiscal impact of eliminating contracts with vendors that raise as much as $100,000 a year for some schools.
(SF Chronicle, 2/26/04, by Chang)
School Meals Can Contribute to Obesity Crisis
Some public health advocates see schools as a starting point in the campaign to reverse the childhood obesity crisis. This article, the third in the Mercury News' series on childhood obesity, notes that federal rules require that no more than 30 percent of calories are from fat in school meals. However, menu offerings are averaged over a week and most students do not balance their daily slice of pizza with other food choices.
(SJ Mercury, 3/9/04, by Watson)
Study: Transition to Middle School Means More Calories
A survey of 594 fourth- and fifth-graders from 1998 to 2000 found that 35 percent of students choose to eat entirely at the snack bar, which is a middle school privilege, despite bringing food from home or the availability of hot lunch.
(HealthDay, 3/9/04, by Dotinga)
School Cafeterias Improve Food -- and Communication
School cafeterias nationwide are beginning efforts to describe what they're doing to combat the childhood obesity crises. For example, one school district in Cincinnati will soon place nutritional information on menus and offer healthy food samples in class, both to help children and parents make more informed choices about food and to show evidence of the efforts they're taking on this front.
(NY Times, 4/16/04)
Study: School Programs that Limit Soda Intake Can Be Effective
A British study of 644 children, ages 7 to 11, found that education programs that discouraged soft drink consumption and emphasized the importance of a healthy diet resulted in a slight drop in children's obesity. Among the children that were not exposed to the education program, obesity rates climbed 7.5 percent.
(NY Times, 4/23/04)
School Lunches Not Meeting Standards
According to a five-year California Department of Education survey of about half of the state's schools, only 30 percent of schools were close to meeting the required federal guidelines for fat content in school lunches. Meals are supposed to have no more than 30 percent of calories from fat.
(SF Chronicle, 4/23/04)
Californians Worried About Childhood Obesity
A survey of 1,068 Californians, conducted by the Field Research Corporation and funded by the California Endowment, shows that 92 percent of Californians believe childhood obesity is a serious problem -- nearly as a big a health threat as illegal drug use.
(SF Chronicle, 3/31/04, by Severson)
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