Obesity Never Stopped Oprah or Carnie: Lessons from Childhood Weight Battles

If the Battle of the Bulge had a patron saint, it would be Oprah Winfrey. Famous, wealthy, and unprecedentedly influential, Oprah touched the hearts of millions as the play-by-play description of her ups and downs filled more magazine pages than possibly any other topic. Parts of her story can be found in “Oprah Winfrey’s Very Public Food Addiction Struggle.”Yes, addiction is the word. Leaving no room for doubt, Oprah openly and courageously declared to the world’s press, “My drug of choice is food. I use food for the same reasons an addict uses drugs: to comfort, to soothe, to ease stress.” One episode of her television show featured some teenagers who had gone through weight-loss surgery, including a young woman

How to Keep Your Child Active During Summer Break

Remember when you were a kid dreaming of summer days spent hiking, fishing, and playing outdoors? Childhood looks a lot different today than it did 30 years ago. Today it is a rarity to see children and teens without their heads buried in their phones, iPods, and video games. With the increasing reliance on technology […] The post How to Keep Your Child Active During Summer Break appeared first on .

Fine particulate air pollution linked to risk of childhood autism

Exposure to fine particulate air pollution during pregnancy through the first two years of the child’s life may be associated with an increased risk of a child developing autism spectrum disorder, a condition that affects one in 68 children, according to an investigation of children in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Snacking on protein can improve appetite control, diet quality in teens

Although eating high-protein, afternoon snacks can aid appetite control in adults, little information exists to guide parents on what types of snacks might benefit their adolescent children. Now, researchers have found that afternoon snacking, particularly on high-protein-soy foods, reduces afternoon appetite, delays subsequent eating and reduces unhealthy evening snacking in teenagers.