Obesity

The Arkansas surgeon general testified about how his state is fighting the obesity epidemic.

Moderate-to-severe ear infections in children may damage a taste-sensing serve that could pave the way for overeating and adult obesity, reported researchers at the American Chemical Society Fall 2008 meeting.

While maternal obesity does not appear to impact infant mortality among whites, the opposite may be true among blacks, according to the June Obstretics & Gynecology.

The growing incidence of pediatric obesity is widely recognized as epidemic, but strategies to cope with increasing pediatric girth have been slow to appear. A crowded PAS session on Sunday morning highlighted four promising programs.

The overall well-being of American children from 1994 to 2006 is improving, despite the fact that rates of obesity and low birth weight are rising, according to a report released by the Foundation for Child Development on April 25.

Encourage your child to observe healthful behaviors, develop healthy eating habits, and be physically active.

A guide to help overweight status in children.

Implementing the new expert recommendations on the stubborn problem of overweight/obesity in children.

A mother's obese status has only a small effect on a child's obesity, according to a new study in PLoS Medicine...

This article helps pediatricians understand how mother/child feeding interactions factor into the complex issue of childhood obesity.

A report released in June at the 17th Annual Scientific Sessions of the American Society of Echocardiography in Baltimore, Md., describes how ultrasonography of the heart can identify pulmonary hypertension in children who are obese and experience sleep apnea. The finding was an outcome of a study of the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in children who have systemic hypertension.

Although motivating a family to lead a healthful lifestyle is difficult, with the right approach you can often make a difference. Failing to recognize or address overweight in children is no longer acceptable. Includes two Guides for Parents.

AAP's primary effort to combat the "mega issue" of obesity among children in the United States this year will be a tool kit to help clinicians deal with the problem, Nancy Krebs, MD, co-chair of the Academy's task force on obesity, told attendees at the AAP National Conference today.

The American Medical Association (AMA) has released new directives to help fight childhood obesity and promote healthier lifestyles in schools across the country. In one of the planned efforts, AMA will develop a school health advocacy agenda that includes funding for school-based health programs, physical education and exercise (with stricter limits on declining participation), alternative polices for vending machines to promote healthy diets, and standards for healthier school lunches. The directives also encourage physicians to collaborate with communities to help develop health programs in schools."Children spend the majority of their productive time in the classroom, so we must improve access to healthy food and encourage more physical activity in school," said AMA Trustee Ronald M. Davis, MD. "Focusing our efforts on nutrition and exercise in schools can help prevent obesity and overweight in many children who may be at risk."

Q In keeping with the national trend, I've noticed that more and more of my school-age and adolescent patients are becoming overweight.