Maternal BMI an Indicator of Risk for Childhood Obesity?
The prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States is at an all-time high, putting an increasing amount of young Americans at risk for a host of cardiometabolic conditions. Approximately 13.7 million children and adolescents in the nation are obese, with Hispanic and non-Hispanic black children disproportionately affected. New research aims to identify potential risk factors […]
Limit Screen Time to Reduce Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Recent advice from the American Heart Association indicates that children should have limited screen time, as it may contribute to future cardiovascular disease. The AHA has emphasized existing recommendations, which suggest limiting screen time for children & teens to no more than 1-2 hours each day. Pediatric cardiologist Dr. Stephen Daniels, a spokesman for the […]
Childhood Obesity Epidemic Worsens
Childhood obesity in America is on the rise, and at rates higher than previous studies suggested, according to a study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics. The findings emerged after researchers analyzed federal data from the latest National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, the “gold standard” in childhood and fitness research which every two years collects […]
Adolescent & Childhood Obesity Reaches All-Time High
The number of obese children and adolescents rose to 124 million in 2016: more than 10 times higher than the 11 million classified as obese 40 years ago, in 1975. A further 213 million children and adolescents were overweight in 2016, finds a new study published Tuesday in the Lancet. Looking at the broader picture, […]
Increases in Pediatric Hypertension
More children and teens are likely to be categorized as having abnormal blood pressure during their annual wellness visits, based on new recommendations released this week by the American Academy of Pediatrics. High blood pressure is mostly a “silent” condition, with no visible symptoms. Yet it can have long-term health consequences, including cardiovascular disease. The new guidelines, […]
Why Are Different Countries Obese?
Recently published studies dictate different causes and factors behind the public health epidemic of obesity, focusing on several different countries–many of which have varying reasons for their respective obesity epidemics. The Pacific Islands, Middle East and Americas lead the way in terms of regions with the greatest obesity rates. In 2014, more than 48% of […]
1/3 of World = Overweight
A new study reports that more than two billion adults and children across the globe are overweight or obese, and suffer from related health problems. Spurred by poor nutrition and low levels of physical activity, this number equates to one-third of the world’s population. While 2.2 billion people can be classified as overweight or obese, […]
Less Screen Time, More Sports: Childhood Obesity & Cardiovascular Disease
A host of studies have confirmed the correlation between childhood obesity and adult cardiovascular disease, illustrating the consequences of obesity during childhood. Because obese and overweight children are more likely to become obese adults than those who were not obese as children, they face an increased risk of developing chronic diseases such as CVD, type […]
Childhood Obesity: A Nationwide Epidemic
On Tuesday, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released proposed guidelines in an attempt to further combat childhood obesity—a nationwide epidemic that has progressively worsened in the past decade. Today, 17% of America’s children qualify for the official categorization and definition of obesity. The publication is intended to help healthcare professionals and decision makers to make […]
