|
|
Volume 1, Issue 8
Prevent unhealthy weight gain-Motivate your preteens to exercise
Excess weight increases risk for prostate cancer
Overweight kids are more prone to sleep apnea
Physical activity helps ward off breast cancer
Regular physical activity in early childhood keeps kid active later in life
Prevent unhealthy weight gain-Motivate your preteens to exercise
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16% of US children ages 6 to 19 are overweight. It is important now, more than ever, for us to get involved so we can help our nation's kids stay healthy and happy.
A new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics indicates that girls are most likely to gain weight between the ages of 9 and 12. This said, it is important to intervene and introduce girls to healthy eating and exercise habits at a young age. The study also showed that girls who are overweight during childhood were 11 to 30 times more likely to be obese in young adulthood. 1
Excess weight increases risk for prostate cancer
In recent years there has been a great deal of research on health risks associated with being overweight or obese. A new study to be published in the February issue of Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society, uncovers new evidence indicating that prostate cancer patients who are overweight have a greater risk of dying from their illness then those who are a healthy weight.
The study, which included 173,000 male participants ages 50 to 100, found that compared to men of normal weight, overweight men had a 25 percent higher risk of dying from prostate cancer. 2
Overweight kids are more prone to sleep apnea
Is bedtime a struggle in your house? Do you kids wake up constantly throughout the night and are tired all day? Their weight maybe be part of the reason. Sleep apnea, a temporary closure of the airways, is common among adults; however, there has been little research conducted on its prevalence among kids.
Researchers in Hong Kong have found that there is a direct link between weight and the occurrence of sleep apnea in children. Results of their recent study indicated that children who were classified as obese had a significantly higher apnea score than non-obese children. 3
Physical activity helps ward off breast cancer
There has been a great deal of research indicating that regular physical activity, such as aerobics, running and biking, can help prevent breast cancer. However, new research conducted by the British group, Cancer Research UK, has found that even household activities, such as gardening, home repair, and climbing stairs, can significantly reduce ones risk for breast cancer.
The study, which included 218,000 women ages 20 to 80, found that household activity had the most significant effect on decreasing breast cancer risk. Women who were the most physically active decreased their risk for breast cancer by 20 to 40 percent.
4
Regular physical activity in early childhood keeps kid active later in life
Parents often complain that their young kids are Òbouncing off the walls,Ó but new research recently published in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health points to the importance of regular physical activity for young children.
Researchers in South Carolina found that as girls aged their vigorous activity declined-while 45.4 percent of eighth grade girls participate in vigorous physical activity, such as biking, running and organized sports, by twelfth grade only 34.1 percent remain active. This said, girls who were active during early childhood were more likely to remain physical active as they aged.
5
Sources
1 Thompson DR, Obarzanek E, Franko DL, Barton BA, Morrison J, Biro FM, Daniels SR, Striegel-Moore RH. (2007). Childhood overweight and cardiovascular disease risk factors: the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study. Journal of Pediatrics, 150, 18-25.
2 Cancer, February 2007
3 Xu Z, Cheuk DK, Lee SL. (2006). Clinical evaluation in predicting childhood obstructive sleep apnea. Chest, 130, 1765-71.
4 Lahmann PH et al. (2007). Physical activity and breast cancer risk: the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, 16, 36-42.
5 Pate RR, Dowda M, O'Neill JR, Ward DS. (2006). Change in Physical Activity Participation Among Adolescent Girls from 8th to 12th Grade. Journal of Physical Activity & Healthy, 4. |
