Importance of Exercise During Grade School
Children who exercised more during the first 8 years of school showed a sharply decreased risk of bone fractures, especially during the 7th and 8th grades. This was reported by Dr. Marcus Coster at the meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. The intervention group exercised moderately at least 200 minutes per week,…
Read MoreWhich Country Leads the World in Childhood Obesity?
Looking for a really sobering number to share with your friends? Here it is. One in every five children 5-17 years old is overweight or obese--in the 34 countries monitored by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Believe it or not, the U.S. is not the leader. Take a look yourself at the countries that lead…
Read MoreChildhood Obesity May Damage Heart Early
It it is recognized that childhood obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. However, increasing evidence strongly suggests it is also linked to cardiovascular damage during childhood. In reviewing the evidence, researchers found obesity during the growing years was associated with measurable alterations to the structure and function of the cardiovascular system.…
Read MoreEarly Experiences Impact Health in Late Life
Using self-reported data on childhood adversity before age 18, researchers found that cerebral infarcts (a type of stroke) were significantly more common in the elderly who had experienced emotional neglect during childhood. The study compared those in the 75th percentile of childhood emotional neglect with those in the 25th percentile. Factors such as parental intimidation…
Read MoreSleep Duration and Obesity at Age Six
Childhood obesity is sweeping the world, especially in the most economically developed countries. Sadly, 60-85% of obese children remain obese in adulthood. Researchers in Quebec, Canada followed a representative sample of infants born in 1997-98 for six years, focusing on sleep duration and body mass index. After controlling for potentially confounding factors, they found that…
Read MoreEarly Childhood Sleep Deprivation May Lead to ADHD
The report from the Kaiser Family Foundation goes on to discuss other issues related to the media and sleep:“Sleep problems in middle childhood tend to be persistent. This fact raises the question as to what, if any, are the long-term effects of media use on children’s sleep. It may be, for example, that there is…
Read MoreRisks for Heart Attack Before 55 Start in Childhood!
A research team has followed almost 5000 non-diabetic children for almost 25 years to assess the impact of overweight/obesity on premature death in adulthood. Those who were in the top quarter of body mass index (BMI) when children had 2.3 times the risk of death before age 55 than those in the lowest quarter of…
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