A roundup of recent newspaper stories about children's health...
Monday, June 4:
Opinion:
Kids' Menus Encourage Poor Diet
This opinion article from the New York Tim es posits that the
prevalence of junk foods on kids' menus, such as chicken fingers, fries
and grilled cheese sandwiches, has reinforced poor eating habits and has
discouraged experimentation with a wider array of foods. (NY Times, 5/30/07,
by Kamp)
Local
Schools Emphasize Teens' Sleep Needs
Parents from local high schools have teamed up with Stanford
sleep researchers to educate students about their sleep needs. A survey
conducted by a Stanford researcher and a parent showed that local students
average 7.5 hours of sleep each night – significantly less than the 9.5
hours that researchers say adolescents need. (PA Weekly, 5/29/07, by Lamkin-Carughi)
Toddler TV-Watching at All- Time High
A recent study by pediatric researchers at the University of
Washington revealed that by age 2, 90 percent of children are watching
an average of 90 minutes of television per day, which parents generally
permit because they say that what their kids watch is educational. Researchers
say early exposure to television leads to a higher risk of attention problems,
obesity, and diminished reading comprehension. (The Boston Globe, 5/27/07,
by Meltz)
Editorial: Census to Track Foster Youth, Again
After a controversial decision last month to eliminate the foster
child category from the once-every-10-years census questionnaire, the
US Census Bureau now has announced that it will continue to collect comprehensive
data on foster kids using the more complete annual American Community
Survey. (SF Chronicle, 5/29/07)
Teen
Brain Development As Important As Infants'
When teenagers rebel against adults, it may be due to biology
rather than just attitude, researchers say. Scientists at Harvard Medical
School have found that the part of the brain that controls judgment, organization,
and emotions is still immature in teens. Experts say adolescence is as
important a time as infancy when it comes to brain growth and development.
(Miami Herald, 5/29/07, by Farrell)
Report: Students Spend More Time Studying
A national data report on education has found that the percentage
of minority students enrolled in public schools has grown 20 percent in
the past 30 years, and that all students are spending more time on homework.
The survey showed the largest growth has been among Latino students, and
that five times more students spend at least 10 hours on homework each
week than students 20 years ago. (NY Times, 6/1/07, by Dillon)
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