Feb
9
Childhood Obesity: It's Not the Amount of TV, It's the Number of Junk Food … - Science Daily (press release)- Topic: Childhood Obesity News
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Bell, is the first to break down the types of television children watch to better determine whether different kinds of content may exert different effects on obesity. Caregivers were also asked to report the format — television programs, DVDs or videos — and the names of the programs watched. The analysis controlled for the amount of physical activity and the children’s gender, age, race/ethnicity, mother’s body mass index (BMI), education and sleep time. Among all children, commercial viewing was significantly associated with higher BMI, although the effect was stronger for children younger than 7 than for those older than 7, the study found. According to the authors, the findings strongly suggest that steering children away from commercial television may be effective in reducing childhood obesity, given that food is the most commonly advertised product on children’s television and the fact that almost 90 percent of children begin watching television regularly before the age of 2. The authors conclude that the availability of high-quality, enjoyable and educational programs for all ages on DVD should make it relatively easy for health educators and care providers to nudge children’s viewing toward content that does not contain unhealthy messages about food and eating. Read Childhood Obesity
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Feb
8
Trimming The Fat - Forbes- Topic: Childhood Obesity News
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In 1951, 31% of adults polled told the Gallup Organization that they would like to lose weight, but 50% said they wanted to maintain their present weight. In a Harris Interactive/Tax Foundation online poll from early 2009 on general tax attitudes, 36% favored a tax on sugary drinks, while 58% were opposed to it. After asking four questions about obesity, 38% in the CBS poll said they supported “putting a special tax on junk food–that is, things like soda, chips and candy,” while 60% were opposed. In an April 2009 Kaiser Family Foundation poll, 52% favored increasing taxes on unhealthy snack foods to “help pay for health care reform and provide coverage for more of the uninsured,” but a strong 46% were opposed. In a Gallup poll from July, 52% favored a new tax on soft drinks as a way to pay for health care reform, but a hefty 46% were opposed. Obesity is a big factor in rising health care costs, and Michelle Obama deserves credit for working to raise awareness of the problem in children. Read Childhood Obesity
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