Health
Movies May Influence Children's Food Choices, Study Shows
Could food featured on film can lead to poor nutritional choices among kids? Credit: Darrren Hester, Flickr
You can see them eating at a Burger King in "Men in Black 2," and of course, Steven Spielberg thoroughly documented how much E.T. loves Reece's Pieces.
But that doesn't necessarily mean those are good choices for kids. Researchers at Dartmouth Medical School say movies may have a profound influence on children's food choices.
Movie characters often eat foods high in energy and low in nutrition, Lisa Sutherland tells the Web site HealthCanal.com.
She's a research professor of pediatrics at Dartmouth and the lead author of the study that appears in the latest issue of the journal Pediatrics.
Researchers from the Hood Center for Children and Families at Dartmouth found that six companies (Burger King, McDonald's, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper/Snapple and Nestle USA) account for 45 percent of the product placement in mainstream movies.
Juicy, But Not Juice
Get a healthy alternative to sugar-laden juices. Credit: Vita Coco
Trying to break junior of a major juice habit? Consider subbing in all-natural coconut water--that's the juice from young green coconuts.
Pack of 12 available for $21 at amazon.com
Related: Sweetened Juice Linked to Diabetes
Study Suggests Link Between Autism and Parents' Ages
As parents and researchers struggle and debate about the cause of the autism epidemic -- or if there's even an epidemic at all -- a new study suggests a link between the disorder and parents' ages.
A study published Feb. 8 in the journal Autism Research concludes that older mothers are more likely than younger ones to have a child with autism. In addition, older fathers significantly contribute to the risk of autism when their partners are under 30.
The New York Times reports researchers analyzed almost five million births in California during the 1990s. Some 12,159 of those children were diagnosed with autism.
According to the Times, previous research concluded that autism diagnoses grew with the age of the father. In this latest study, researchers found when the father was older than 40 and the mother was younger than 30, the autism rate was 59 percent higher than it was for younger men. When the mothers were over 30, that number was about 12 percent.
Canadian Hospital Offers Surgery for Obese Children
A hospital in Canada offers some obese children surgery designed to help them lose weight and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other potential killers.
The surgery is performed at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. The hospital -- nicknamed SickKids -- is Canada's largest research hospital and one of the largest pediatric academic health science centers in the world.
The Canadian newspaper the Globe and Mail reports physicians at the hospital are the first in Canada to routinely provide obesity surgery to children. The program officially launches this week.
According to the Globe and Mail, it is designed for children ages 12 to 17 with "complex obesity." That means they are overweight because of a medical condition such as a brain tumor.
Is It Really ADHD, or Just a Lack of Sleep?
Is your little one getting enough shut-eye at night? If not, they could be at risk for depression and other health problems. A study conducted at the University of Helsinki and National Institute of Health and Welfare has found that a child's short sleep duration (without sleeping difficulties) increases the risk for behavioural symptoms of ADHD. With a continent short on sleep, it's not hard to imagine that a child's sleep deprivation may start to show in behavioural ways rather than just old-fashioned tiredness. In this recent study, 280 healthy boys and girls wore devices on their wrists to monitor their sleep. Children whose average sleep was less than 7.7 hours a night had higher hyperactivity and impulsiveness scores, as well as a higher ADHD total score, versus those who slept longer.
Is it fair to say, then, that lack of sleep causes hyperactivity or impulsiveness?
Solving the SIDS Mystery?
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death for babies ages 1 month to 1 year old. The causes of SIDS are still not fully understood, and while the Back to Sleep campaign has eliminated many deaths, SIDS is still a worry for new parents.
Now, researchers from Children's Hospital Boston say the brain chemical serotonin may be to blame. Serotonin is partly responsible for regulating breathing, blood pressure, heart rate and other involuntary actions as we sleep. According to the researchers, low levels of serotonin may put a baby at risk of SIDS. Normally, serotonin helps babies wake up when they have breathing problems in their sleep, so they can turn their heads and breathe in fresh air. But babies with low serotonin levels may never wake.
Tinkerbell Bracelets Recalled for Lead
A number of Tinkerbell charms contain excess lead. Credit: CPSC
Tinkerbell has been poisoned ... again.
This time, however, you can't blame Captain Hook. And it will take more than clapping to set things right.
According to Consumer Reports, more than 252,000 Tinkerbell charms are being pulled from shelves because they contain more lead than federal allows allows.
The Disney charms, manufactured by Playmates Toys, were sold as part of the Tink Tink and Friends toy jewelry set -- mostly between November 2008 and November 2009. The charm can be attached to a toy necklace, bracelet or key chain also included in the set.
If your child has one, Consumer Reports advises, take it away immediately. Contact Playmates Toys in Cosa Mesa, Calif., at 888-810-1133 or playmatestoys.com for a replacement or refund.
Study Finds Three Routines Can Cut Kids' Risk of Obesity
Eating dinner as a family can cut the risk of childhood obesity. Credit: timsamoff, Flickr
A national study published online today in the journal Pediatrics suggests that sitting down to dinner on a regular basis, limiting TV time and getting plenty of sleep can dramatically reduce a child's risk for becoming obese.
The study of 8,550 preschoolers found that children are likely to have a lower risk for obesity if they regularly engage in one or more of three specific household routines: eating dinner as a family more than fives times per week, getting at least 10 and a half hours of sleep per night, and limiting weekday television viewing to less than two hours per day.
Four-year-olds living in homes that practiced these three household routines were found to be at 40% lower risk of obesity compared to those in homes with none of these routines. Other studies have linked obesity to these individual behaviors, but this is the first study to link the combination of all three routines with obesity prevalence in a national sample of preschoolers.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 16 percent of U.S. children are obese, and childhood obesity rates have tripled since 1980. The CDC reports that obese children are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure; and previous studies have shown that elementary school kids who are obese miss more school days than their normal-weight classmates and are at risk for more negative outcomes, such as drugs, AIDS and teen pregnancy.
Add Tofu to School Lunches for a Protein Boost
Dear Karla, My daughter seems to like tofu when she has it, but I am not used to cooking it. In your post about healthy lunches, you mentioned tofu as a lunch item. Any ideas on how I can prepare it for lunch? Or how to add it to lunches?
Thanks, Lana
Dear Lana,
Tofu is a great source of plant protein from soybeans that can fit perfectly into any meal of the day. I find it particularly helpful as a substitute if you're dealing with kids who don't like to eat meat. This white block of soy is incredibly versatile and can be baked, sauteed, grilled and even barbecued. Just think of tofu as the item that can literally replace any meat in any dish.
In terms of taste, soy does not have a strong natural flavour, so it is important to serve it up with other flavours as it will take on the taste of whatever you mix it with. Here are a few of my favourite ways to cook it.
Big Brother May Have Your Baby's DNA
Annie Brown, pictured with daughter Isabel, was shocked to learn that her baby's DNA was in the hands of the feds. Credit: Gregg Andersen
Newborns in the United States are regularly screened for various genetic diseases. These tests are mandated by the federal government.
As a result, children's DNA samples are often stored -- sometimes indefinitely.
Some parents are creeped out by the Orwellian image of the government keeping babies' DNA without their parents' knowledge or consent and they're filing lawsuits. Members of the Texas Legislature felt the same chill down their spines last year.
L.A. to Focus More On Protecting Kids, Less On Reuniting Families
Angel Montiel was reunited with his parents after they enrolled in parenting classes and agreed to drug testing and other services.
Now his mother is spending 15 years in prison. She pleaded no contest to beating the toddler to death.
Angel is one reason the Department of Children and Family Services in Los Angles County is readjusting its thinking.
The overarching goal of many state and county agencies designed to protect children is to reunite and preserve troubled families.
Not in Los Angeles County. Not anymore.
Gerber Toddler Meals Get The 'Salt Lick' Treatment
In a fast-paced world where whipping up daily meals from scratch is a challenge for most parents, it can be tempting to reach for the convenience of packaged foods. But the next time you consider that processed toddler meal, you may want to think
Gerber Graduates Lil' Entrees has just received the "Salt Lick" award from the Canadian Stroke Network and the Advanced Food & Materials Network. The company's Chicken & Pasta Wheel Pickups dinner was found to have 550 mg of sodium, which is more than half of a toddler's recommended daily intake of 1000 mg. To put that into perspective, according to McDonald's Canada, a medium order of french fries contains 270 mg of sodium.
The "Salt Lick" award is given out each year to raise awareness about inappropriate levels of sodium in food products, and this year the focus was on products aimed at toddlers. The packaging on the Gerber meals say they are "appropriate for children 1 year or older" and "specifically made for toddlers."
Dr. Kevin Willis of the Canadian Stroke Network says, "There is a concern that eating too much sodium in childhood can lead to a preference for salty foods and, consequently, an increased risk of disease as an adult." A high-sodium diet increases blood pressure, which in turn is a major risk factor for stroke, heart disease, kidney disease and dementia. High sodium consumption has also been linked to osteoporosis, asthma, stomach cancer and obesity.
Case Study: Managing Weight During Puberty
I was once approached by a mother who was concerned that her 11-year-old daughter was overweight. She assured me that her daughter was active as she was involved in dance classes several times a week and played with her friends during recess. She told me that she generally prepares healthy meals and keeps her daughter's junk food snacking to a minimum. Considering her conscious efforts to monitor her daughter's lifestyle, she couldn't understand why her daughter was overweight. She figured more intense exercise would help and wanted to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. Unfortunately (I told her), it's not that cut and dry...About the Child (Let's call her 'Kayla')
At first glance, it was obvious that Kayla was overweight. Her stomach and torso were protruded as she stood in front of me, while her legs and arms seemed "normal." She was by no means obese, but I understood her mother's concerns. Kayla wanted me to show her a program she could do at home that would make her stronger for dance class and keep her energy high.
Christian Parents In Oregon Found Guilty Of Neglecting Ill Son
Jeff Beagley listens to testimony during his trial last month in Oregon City, Ore. Credit: Randy L. Rasmussen, Pool / AP
Prosecutors argued that Jeff and Marci Beagley of Oregon refused to get their 16-year-old son traditional medical treatment. Instead, they supposedly put his fate in the hands of God.
Now the couple's fate is in the hands of a judge.
Neil Beagley died in 2008 from complications from a urinary tract blockage. An Oregon City jury found his parents guilty Feb. 2 of criminally negligent homicide.
Judge Steven Maurer is scheduled to pass sentence on the couple Feb. 18. Statutory sentencing guidelines for criminally negligent homicide call for 16 to 18 months behind bars.
The Beagleys belong to the Followers of Christ Church in Oregon City, whose members espouse faith healing over traditional medicine. An Oregon law, passed in 1999, does not allow religion as a defense in most manslaughter and criminal mistreatment cases.
Kourtney Kardashian Says She's Not in a Rush to Lose the Baby Weight
Kourtney says getting her pre-baby body back is "not her biggest concern." Credit: Life & Style
Most Hollywood moms start stressing about losing their baby weight even before leaving the delivery room. But Kourtney Kardashian isn't like most women. Instead of clocking hours at the gym to shed the 40 pounds she put on during her pregnancy, Kourt has been singularly focusing on her 7-week-old bundle of joy, son Mason Dash. "It's been hard to find time to work out," she told Life & Style during an exclusive interview on Jan. 29. "All I want to do is spend time with Mason."
Kourtney decided to open up to Life & Style about her struggle to slim down after a tabloid magazine used heavyhanded photoshopping to make it appear as if she'd regained her svelte pre-pregnancy figure just one month after giving birth. "Losing the weight has been a lot harder than I thought," she says. "I've lost 25 pounds so far. I still have 15 more to go."
