children
BMI measurement may be missing 25 percent of children who could be considered obese
Physicians using body mass index (BMI) to diagnose children as obese may be missing 25 percent of kids who have excess body fat despite a normal BMI, which can be a serious concern for long-term health, according to a Mayo Clinic study published online in Pediatric Obesity. The researchers found that BMI has high specificity […]
Children consuming a Mediterranean diet are 15% less likely to be overweight, study finds
A study of 8 European countries presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO)in Sofia, Bulgaria, shows that children consuming a diet more in line with the rules of the Mediterranean one are 15% less likely to be overweight or obese than those children who do not. The research is by Dr Gianluca Tognon, […]
Divorce may be linked to higher risk of overweight/obesity among kids involved
Divorce may be linked to higher risk of overweight/obesity among kids involved, and boys may be especially prone to excess weight gain, new research indicates. The researchers base their findings on a nationally representative sample of more than 3000 pupils attending 127 schools across Norway. All the children were part of the national 2010 Norwegian […]
Chronic insufficient sleep increases obesity, overall body fat in children
One of the most comprehensive studies of the potential link between reduced sleep and childhood obesity finds compelling evidence that children who consistently received less than the recommended hours of sleep during infancy and early childhood had increases in both obesity and in adiposity or overall body fat at age 7. The study from MassGeneral […]
Little exercise, heavy use of electronic media constitute a significant health risk for children
The Physical Activity and Nutrition in Children Study, PANIC, carried out by the Institute of Biomedicine at the University of Eastern Finland shows that low levels of physical activity combined with heavy use of electronic media and sedentary behavior are linked to an increased risk for type 2 diabetes and vascular diseases already in 6-8 […]
Children who exercise have better body-fat distribution, regardless of their weight
Maybe the numbers on the scale aren’t alarming, but that doesn’t mean that healthy-weight children get a pass on exercising, according to a new University of Illinois study published in Pediatrics. “The FITKids study demonstrates the extent to which physical activity can improve body composition, and that’s important because it matters to your health where […]
Fatty acid composition in blood reflects quality of dietary carbohydrates in children
Recently published research in the University of Eastern Finland found that fatty acid composition in blood is not only a biomarker for the quality of dietary fat but also reflects the quality of dietary carbohydrates. For example the proportion of oleic acid was higher among children who consumed a lot of candy and little high-fibre […]
Severe obesity on the rise among children in the U.S.
A new study led by a University of North Carolina School of Medicine researcher finds little to cheer about in the fight against childhood obesity, despite a recent report to the contrary. The study, published online first April 7 in JAMA Pediatrics, found that all classes of obesity in U.S. children have increased over the […]
Blood test may help predict whether a child will become obese
Scientists have found that a simple blood test, which can read DNA, could be used to predict obesity levels in children. Researchers at the Universities of Southampton, Exeter and Plymouth used the test to assess the levels of epigenetic switches in the PGC1a gene — a gene that regulates fat storage in the body. Epigenetic […]
Shorter sleepers are over-eaters, study in children shows
Young children who sleep less eat more, which can lead to obesity and related health problems later in life, reports a new study by UCL researchers. The study found that 16 month-old children who slept for less than 10 hours each day consumed on average 105kcal more per day than children who slept for more […]