Why are our children getting heavier? It’s a topic in the news and on almost every other magazine these days.

There are many causes for the weight gain in our children, some of which I have addressed in this blog. Today I want to talk about picking good foods for your kids. When shopping for foods it is always best to choose the non-processed option. I know you are rolling your eyes about now thinking your kids don’t like broccoli, fresh lettuce, fish or real fruit. It’s true, a healthy diet takes…

To a child who is obese, hearing these words over and over again leads to isolation, depression, and chronic health problems. Sixteen percent of 9th- to 12th-grade teenagers in New York State are classified as obese, and that number has been climbing since 2006. Conditions that are comorbid with obesity in adult patients, such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, are now being seen in younger and younger children, which may ultimately shorten their lifespans.

This may be the first generation of children who will live shorter lives than their parents. How…

The facts:

Heart Disease, Cancer, and unintentional injuries are the leading causes of death among men in the U.S. according to the CDC website.

19% of men under the age of 65 do not have medical insurance.

33% of men 20 years of age and older are considered obese.

31% of men 20 years of age and older have hypertension.

12% of men 18 years of age and over are in fair or poor health.

(Data retrieved from CDC Website.)

It makes sense to talk about healthy activities that inspire change in some of these trends during Men’s Health Month.

I asked some…

Many of us know people who say they want to increase their physical activity or eat better, and at times you may see a change. But for the most part, those eye-opening moments occur when you’re seeing someone for the first time in a while .

Recently, I saw a gentleman at a store who I had as a patient a few months ago. It is not common that I get to see someone again out of the home, so it was a surprise. What was more surprising however, was the weight Mr.…

Remember long ago when you were learning the alphabet? You had a word for every letter: “A” stands for Apple, “B” stands for Boy, “C” stands for Cat. That made it so easy. Well, today I propose a change to that mnemonic device, and it goes like this: “A” stands for Active (that’s right get up and move!); “B” stands for Bicycle; “C” stands for Cartwheel (bet it’s been a long time since you did one of those!!); “D” stands for Dodge ball (now that will get your heart pumping!). According to…

We’ve all seen the headlines that obesity is affecting people of all ages and cultures, and men and women, alike. New research has shown that babies introduced to solid foods prior to four months of age are at greater risk of becoming obese. As always, babies that are breastfeed beyond four months seem to have inherent protection from obesity. But now there is proof that introduction of solids during infancy is a possible cause for obesity in children and adults.

Beyond this though, there are many reasons why solids should not be introduced prior to…

Obesity has become a major health care issue in our nation.

Countless journals have published articles about the impact of obesity on our children. A recent maternity-focused study looked at new ways of lowering the number of children who become obese. Pregnant women were given nutritional instruction prior to delivery of their babies. Compared to the control group, in which no instruction was provided, the babies were noted to have close to a 30% decline in obesity rates. This may not seem like much, but in our pediatric population, the incidents of heart disease and diabetes…

photo by Ian Britton

Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a report that the consumption of fruits and vegetables have not reached targets for Healthy People 2010. Only 32.5% of Americans eat two or more servings of fruit a day (goal is 75%) and 26.3% have three or more servings of vegetables a day (goal is 50%).  As mentioned in previous posts regarding childhood obesity and the Let’s Move! campaign, the importance of good nutrition cannot be underestimated. Not only is good nutrition important for the treatment…

Obesity is a condition that is on the rise in all parts of the world. An estimated 5 million teens are obese (>35 body mass Index BMI) in the US (2004). Because of obesity, many people are experiencing some significant health issues. Obesity is in many (not all) teenagers is a food-addiction illness.

Food addiction is difficult to treat but can be an underlying reason for the weight problem. Drug addiction programs with intensive therapy and supervision have proven to be effective models in obesity treatment.  A cycle of poor self…

With The Olympics in full swing in Vancouver, I feel that is time to discuss physical fitness. We all know that obesity in children and adults is a growing problem in this country. The numbers and the consequences (diabetes, heart disease to name a few), to this rise in patients with true obesity is incredible. WHAT IS GOING ON?

Well to begin with we are are becoming more and more sedentary, thanks to electronics and computers. Pretty much everything is at a push of a button. And most children today have…