Abstract
Australian-Led Study Finds Physical Activity Predicts BMI-z Reduction
Japan Seeks To Address Rise in Childhood Obesity
Japan's Fukushima Prefectural Board of Education plans to help schools prevent childhood obesity, which has become an increasing problem since the earthquake and damage at the Fukushima nuclear plant in 2011. At that time, schools were asked to limit outdoor activities. Although the restriction has been lifted for most schools, parents are still wary of letting children play outdoors due to fears of radiation exposure. The government's plan includes sending sports experts to primary schools to promote exercise. The obesity rate for children ages 5–9 years is higher in the Fukushima and Tohoku regions than in other parts of the country.
Prenatal Period Potential Window of Opportunity, Danish Study Finds
Researchers from the Children's Obesity Clinic at Copenhagen University Hospital Holbaek in Denmark investigated the relationship between severe obesity in 1171 severely obese children and their in utero conditions. They found a correlation between BMI-standard derivation score upon admission to a weight-loss program and birthweight, birth length, birthweight for gestational age, and neonatal ponderal index. They did not find a link between the duration of breastfeeding and severe obesity. The researchers concluded in the European Journal of Pediatrics that “these results indicate that the prenatal period can be considered as a potential window of opportunity for prevention of childhood overweight and obesity and anthropological measurements may in theory be used to help identify neonates at high risk for developing childhood obesity.”
Obesity Continues To Increase among Chinese Children
Researchers analyzed data from Chinese National Surveys on Students Constitution and Health, years 1985–2010, to determine obesity prevalence trends for children living in urban areas. Prevalence increased from 0.2% in 1985 to 8.1% in 2010, with the pace for boys increasing faster than that for girls. In 2010, 11% of boys and 5.2% of girls were obese. The authors of the article in the journal PLOS ONE, said that the “gender disparity suggests the prevalence of obesity in boys contribute[s] to a large and growing proportion of obese children” and recommend the development and implementation of gender-specific preventive guidelines.
Canadians Studying Obesity Hypoventilation Syndrome in Children
Researchers from the University of Alberta, Canada, are participating in a study by the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program, a joint project of the Canadian Paediatric Society and the Public Health Agency of Canada, to study the incidence and management of obesity hypoventilation syndrome in children. They are collecting national epidemiological data on the condition and hope to raise awareness of the obesity complication. Researchers expect that the condition is under recognized and under reported in children. They recommend in an article published in the journal Paediatrics and Child Health that children with the condition be referred to a pediatric sleep center or a pediatric respirologist for confirmation of the diagnosis and treatment. Treatment typically includes weight reduction and BiPap ventilation support. Untreated nocturnal hypoventilation can lead to polycythemia, cor pulmonale, heart or respiratory failure, or death.
Cornish Childhood Obesity Project Starts in the United Kingdom
The 3-year Cornwall Hearty Lives Project will address childhood obesity in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the United Kingdom. The British Heart Foundation is funding the project and targeting areas with high childhood obesity rates. About a quarter of Cornwall's children are overweight or obese when they enter school for the first time, and 33% are overweight and obese at school year 6. The program, offered in partnership with the National Health Service and Cornwall Council, includes health days and workshops for parents, activities to engage children and parents in healthier lifestyles, and education of school staff about how to discuss children's weight issues with their parents.
Parenting Style Could Affect Child Feeding and Weight, Taiwan Study Shows
Citing prior studies suggesting an association between parents' feeding practices and their children's weight, researchers from Asia University in Taiwan investigated the relationship between child-feeding habits and weight changes during a 1-year period from 2008 to 2009 among 465 2nd- and 4th-grade students. In 2009, the trained school nurse found 29.2% of the students were overweight. When the team controlled for 2008 weight, they saw a moderating effect of parenting style on feeding habits and the children's weight, with authoritative mothers having more success in controlling their youngsters' weight. The authors concluded in the journal Public Health Nutrition that “parenting styles and parent's feeding practices could be an important focus for future public health interventions addressing the rising childhood obesity epidemic.”
Irish Hospital Reports Success
Children participating in the interdisciplinary W82GO! program at Temple Street Children's Hospital in Ireland have significantly reduced their body mass index with a mean reduction in BMI-standard deviation score, among 312 children, of 0.16 after 1 year of treatment. Children ranged in age from 18 months to 16 years, and all had a BMI greater than the 98th percentile on the Irish growth chart. Children coming to the hospital's outpatient clinic for any reason who are found to be obese are referred to the program. Other healthcare professionals also refer children. Participants meet with a pediatrician, dietician, physiotherapist, and psychologist before starting W82GO! They also receive an exercise test and laboratory testing to screen for obesity-related conditions. The program includes family education about health, nutrition, self-esteem, communication, and activities during weekly sessions. Children also participate in fun activities that help to improve movement skills and self-confidence while exercising.
Dubai Adopts MyPlate for School Lunches
The Dubai Health Authority has adopted the US model MyPlate as a tool in helping children make healthy food choices. MyPlate recommends school lunches contain vegetables, fruits, protein, grains, and dairy products. Schools in Dubai began implementing healthy food guidelines and a program called Ajyal Salima, or healthy kids, this school year. The health authority and other participants have begun training public school teachers about nutrition so they can incorporate the information into their classroom lessons. Health officials hope students will embrace the message and adopt healthy eating habits after school as well as when in the academic setting. The Dubai government has also prepared an educational action plan for private schools and reports it will release one for parents.
Isle of Man Launches Childhood Obesity Plan
The Isle of Man Department of Health has launched a “Plan for Tackling Childhood Overweight and Obesity in the Isle of Man.” In the report's foreword, Minister for Health David Moore Anderson said, “childhood obesity is a societal issue and we must all work together…and (use) a coordinated approach to tackle the problem effectively.” The plan includes working to increase the rate of breastfeeding, eating healthily, and exercising. Officials will collect and analyze data to understand local trends. The plan aims to prevent children from becoming overweight and manage existing cases. It features recommendations to subsidize fruits and vegetables and require front-of-package labeling.
Greeks Develop Index To Estimate Late Childhood Obesity Risk
Researchers from Harokopio University of Athens in Greece developed the Childhood Obesity Risk Evaluation index that estimates late childhood obesity risk using perinatal measures, such as mother's weight, smoking, and educational level; infant weight gain; and family sociodemographic characteristics. The index scores ranged from 0 to 11 units, with each unit associated with a greater probability of obesity risk. The researchers found the index's sensitivity was 54%, and its specificity was 65%. They concluded in the European Journal of Pediatrics that pediatricians and other health professionals could use the index and risk probability chart to identify, at an early age, children at risk of becoming obese and then assist in implementing prevention measures.
Hong Kong's StartSmart@school.hk Adds Workshops
Hong Kong's
Private Sector Onboard with UK Responsibility Deal
The United Kingdom's Public Health Responsibility Deal—a program that aims to work with the private sector in the ultimate goal of improving public health—has begun offering businesses certificates of partnership, signed by Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt and including a statement about participating in the Responsibility Deal. More then 450 companies, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Mars, have committed to the program. The Responsibility Deal also released a toolkit for supporting engagement with local businesses. The Department of Health reported that England has some of the highest obesity rates in the developed world, with one-third of children ages 10–11 overweight or obese.
Portuguese Find Perceived Neighborhood Safety Associated with Obesity
Parents' perceptions about the safety of their residential environment are associated with children's obesity levels, according to a study presented in the European Journal of Public Health. Researchers from the University of Coimbra in Portugal measured the height and weight of 2690 preschool and elementary school children in Porto, Portugal, and used the International Obesity Taskforce cutoffs for obesity to classify children. They found 31.8% of the children were overweight or obese. The children were less likely to be obese if their parents thought the neighborhood was safe, that it was easy and pleasant to walk around, and that sidewalks were open and well maintained.
Japan's School Lunches Helping To Control Weight
While not immune to the problem of childhood overweight and obesity, Japan's children have not added pounds as quickly as other developed nations. Japan's childhood obesity rate is among the lowest in the world and has declined for the past 6 years. A nutritionist typically plans school lunches and works with picky eaters. Foods served include locally grown, fresh ingredients such as rice, vegetables, and fish. Meals are made from scratch at the school and not frozen. All children are served an identical meal and if they do not eat it, there are no vending machines to satisfy hunger. Additionally, no one can bring food from home until high school, except for youngsters with documented dietary restrictions.
European Toddler Study Offers Insight into Feeding, Weight Issues
The European Toddler Nutrition Index, conducted by Growing Up Milk, compared toddler diets in the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, and Italy. Mothers in Italy and Spain were more concerned about their child becoming overweight or obese, 68% and 72%, respectively, than mothers in the United Kingdom, 22%. Home-cooked meals vary from 42% of Dutch children to 81% of Spanish toddlers receiving one meal per day. British mothers are more likely to report time constraints associated with meal preparation than Dutch mothers. Only 13% of French mothers reward their toddlers with sweets, biscuits, chocolate, and fizzy drinks compared to 39% of British moms. But Italian mothers are more willing to give in to their youngsters' junk food demands. Not receiving information about children's nutritional needs was common across the continent, with 69% of British mothers, 75% of German moms, and 75% of Swedish mothers reporting not having that knowledge.
Canadian Foundation Partners with University and Rec Center on Exercise Project
The Flames Foundation for Life is the charitable arm of the Calgary Flames Hockey Club. The foundation, along with Mount Royal University and Cardel Place, a public recreational center, all in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, have teamed up to conduct a multiyear, community-based research project, as part of the Raise the Bar campaign, aimed at identifying changes that families, the community, and recreation centers can make in developing new healthier behaviors and increase children's physical activity. During the project's first 18 months, researchers will establish baseline physical activity levels for 4- to 5-year olds and 6- to 15-year olds. They then will track the youngsters' responses to new approaches and new programs developed by Cardel Place to determine if there is an increase in physical activity. The Raise the Bar campaign aims to demonstrate that the country's public recreation centers can play a more relevant role in spurring children's participation in physical activity.
Early Prevention or Obesity Treatment May Be Critical for South Asian Children
A study reported in Diabetes Care found that “South Asian children are more metabolically sensitive to adiposity” and may need earlier treatment or prevention efforts than other children. The team conducted a cross-sectional study of 4633 children, ages 9–10 years, of different ethnic origins to assess the relationships among adiposity, insulin resistance, and glycemia markers. They found an association between all adiposity measures and insulin resistance, but those associations were stronger in South Asian children. Fat markers also were positively linked to glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in South Asian and black African-Caribbean children.
Drinking Milk Protective against Abdominal Obesity, Say Portuguese Researchers
University of Porto researchers in Portugal reported in Pediatric Obesity finding—after conducting a cross-sectional study with 1209 adolescents—that drinking two or more servings of milk per day “seems to have a protective effect on abdominal obesity.” Most of the youngsters drank skimmed or semi-skimmed milk. Teens drinking greater amounts of milk, as well as being more active, had the lowest proportion of abdominal obesity at 21.9%, compared with 34.2% of those with abdominal obesity drinking a low amount of milk and being less active. Regardless of activity level, those drinking high levels of milk were less likely to develop abdominal obesity.
UK Organizations Call for Sugary Drink Tax
More than 60 organizations in the United Kingdom, including the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and the Royal Society for Public Health, are supporting charging a duty on sugary drinks, as suggested in the Sustain report “A Children's Future Fund: How food duties could provide the money to protect children's health and the world they grow up in.” The money raised could be earmarked for children's health programs, including free school meals or sustainably produced fruit and vegetable school snacks. The report also recommends that an independent body oversee how the program is implemented and that revenues are well spent. “Just as we use fiscal measures to discourage drinking and smoking and help prevent people from dying early, there is now lots of evidence that the same approach would work for food,” said Mike Rayner of the Department of Public Health at Oxford University and chair of Sustain.