Childhood Obesity: Heart And Liver Disease In Fast Forward

Nearly ten percent of American children have chronic liver disease caused by inappropriate storage of fat in the liver.  Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) speeds the development of heart disease by raising blood pressure.  NAFLD is often undetected until heart and liver damage has already begun.  Understanding the connection between childhood obesity and the increased…

Diets for Kids? Vogue Article Backlash

Should kids be on a diet? This week’s Everyday Health video with fitness expert Jillian Michaels really got me thinking.  She discusses Vogue magazine’s April edition article about a mom who put her 7-year-old daughter on a restrictive diet and derided her about what she ate and how she looked.  Jillian sought the opinion of…

The Skinny On Obesity

Tonight I’m honored to help Young Farmers and Ranchers prepare for the American Farm Bureau Federation‘s Discussion Meet.  Their discussion question is: What role, if any, should agriculture play in addressing health and obesity issues? Your comments are welcome below – here is the information I provided: According to the Gallup and Healthways poll released…

Getting Your Kids to Eat Right This Summer

School is almost done and soon the kids will be home all day.  How can you make sure they eat healthy all day long? Get some help! Check out www.KidsEatRight.org or find them on Facebook and Twitter for tips to make your summer healthy and nutritious. Here are some examples: “One of the best ways…

Get Your Kids Moving!

A simple tool in the fight against childhood obesity: Fun and interactive pedometers designed for kids! In the world of Webkinz and sedentary lifestyles, how do we get our kids moving?  One solution is a cool new product called GeoPalz. It is a pedometer tucked into a fun clip-on character with prizes available online.  I…

Valentine Tips for Kids

Avoid the sugar overload! For most people, Valentines Day brings up memories of candy hearts, chocolates and heart shaped cookies. While these treats are fun, indulging children (and ourselves) in all of them can be just too much. Choose one luscious treat and then use some of the tips below to make your kids’ Valentines…

Sticky Soda Solution

What no soda?! As this Kim and Jason comic strip (click on it to make it bigger) points out, sometime kids (and adults) crave something sweet and fizzy. Here’s a solution to the sticky soda problem! Each time I speak to an audience and advise them to cut the soda out of their routine, I…

Snacks vs Treats

A little trick for better choices My friend Jill Fleming shared a great strategy for making healthy choices. She is a registered dietitian and her strategies have changed how my family eats. By understanding the difference between “grow foods” and “treats,” my six-year-old daughters can make a healthy choice. It works! Grow foods are items…

Are your kids getting fat this summer?

More and more schools are addressing the problem of childhood obesity with increased activity and better food choices, but here’s the problem.  What happens when kids leave the structure of school for the Summer? They gain weight according to a recent study conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Gone are the days of our childhood,…