New Program Tackles Childhood Obesity in Tween Boys
One of the most at-risk groups for childhood obesity and early onset diabetes is “tween” boys between the ages of roughly 9-13. The problem can be quantified by analyzing the habits of boys in this range: they have passed the ages where imagination and outside play peaks and oftentimes their metabolisms have not yet started climbing towards their teen year peaks. On top of that, they seem to have an affinity for video games or television and high-calorie foods like sodas and sweets. This tremendously increases their chances of struggling with early onset obesity.
However, there is hope for tween boys in managing the increased risks of these “awkward years” and making sure that they remain healthy and happy into their teens. Meet Dr. Eileen Kennedy, a pediatric psychologist who works with a new program called Fit Youth which is based at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital. Since 2005, Kennedy has directly helped 211 families with kids ages 7 to 16 who were struggling with childhood obesity. The Fit Youth program only accepts children with BMIs for age in the 95th percentile and above, meaning that out of a group of 100 kids they would only accept the 5 children who were heaviest for their height.
Healthier School Food Options Make for Healthy Children
Each time we hear news about childhood obesity, we tend to worry a lot about what our kids are eating outside of the house, particular the kind of food served in schools. Add to this are the new revelations coming from health experts that confirm an increased rate—three times higher—in American children obesity in the past two decades.
For this reason, parents have put added pressure on various school districts to start serving more veggies, fruits, and healthy meals in their cafeterias and in vending machines. As we know it, children who eat more junk food increase not only their chances of being overweight, but also from developing health issues as they age. On top of that, overweight children are also more prone to fall prey on several social detrimental effects—sending more parents to further worries. Ever noticed how an overweight child is frequently treated as a laughing stock in school by their classmates? Worst, they are also sometimes being discriminated from participating in sports and games because of their uncomfortable load.
Kids Obesity Epidemic Needs Stopping
Admit it or not, but when we see babies don’t we just find them utterly adorable and cute—especially with those bulky cheeks and arms—that we end up poking and pinching them lightly? While it is okay for babies to have those girths, it becomes alarming when they grow up getting heavier and not losing the extra weight.
Past researches have confirmed that in the past four decades, over 23 million children and teenagers in the US ages 2 to 19 are obese or overweight, a statistic which health and medical experts say constitute an epidemic. Because of that, various groups including health workers, city governors, civic leaders, and school administrators have been working together to promote childhood healthier lifestyle among children. And the most recent action taking place to fight childhood obesity is Congress’ designation of September 2010 as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.
Healthy Vending Machines are a Great Business Opportunity
The U.S. economy may have fallen down due to recession. Some businesses have closed. Some investors are not laying down their investments out of fear that they may just be losing instead of earning.
But there’s one thing that you can do despite of how recession has affected the U.S. For investors who are willing to take the risk, they’ll be experiencing its many advantages such as a broad market appeal, year round business with lesser inventories and overhead, flexible hours, tax benefits, and most of all high profit margins. These make the vending business “immune” to recession.
People Willing to Pay for Healthy Choices in Vending Machines
Exactly, how much are you willing to pay for a healthier menu? Or, are you going to spend at all for a plate of green salad over a serving of a quarter pounder burger?
Fast food is among the least healthy place to be in, but surprisingly, people just don’t heed the advice. Every day if you pass by any nearest fast food chain in your area you can’t help but notice how many people would flock in fast foods for lunch and dinner. Many people just love burgers, fries, and all those greasy food even if it means higher risk of heart attack as they age should they continue binging on them.
Healthy Food Franchises are the Future of Franchising
Gone are the days when our choices for food and drinks from the food franchises are restricted to unhealthy food and sugar filled drinks. Today healthy is in! And it has been starting a trend in the food franchising industry. More and more people are becoming concerned about their health especially with the soaring cases of obesity in America which can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes, cancer, heart problems, and more. Consumers now look for food that is not only healthy but served fast and taste good too. Sure there are many restaurants offering healthy food but they don’t really satisfy you when it comes to taste, but now healthy can be good too. Not just good for the body but good tasting too. Some food franchises are now offering organic pizzas, sandwiches and organic smoothies that are equally delicious as their higher calorie counterparts.
One of the new trends in healthy food franchising includes the consumer’s participation in preparing their meals like the “create your own salad” options in certain franchises. The consumers are given a wide variety of fresh and healthy ingredients to prepare their salad. These establishments also offer other options like sandwiches, soups, smoothies and freshly squeezed juices instead of the sugar filled sodas.
Illinois Farmers Market Seeks to Put Fruit on the Corporate Table
It seems like more and more people are making an effort to eat healthy these days. Stopping that craving for a high-calorie snack is one of the first steps down the road to better nutrition, but problems arise when temptation sets in and you have nowhere to go to satisfy your hunger but traditional high-calorie vending machine fare.
An innovative solution has arisen in Fruit My Cube, a new program offering boxes of fruit to employees on a weekly basis as a delicious and healthy alternative. Produced by The Farmers Market in Belleville, Illinois, Fruit My Cube offers fresh, high quality fruits and veggies in convenient packages. Belleville Farmers Market is promoting Fruit My Cube via a website which forwards the link to each employee allowing them to choose from a different selection of fruit varieties which can be ordered online for $9.99. Deliveries are made weekly directly to the customer’s office lobby.
Obesity Being Eliminated by Organic Vending Machines in Schools
Based on a new study, obesity levels have gone down for many teenagers but that’s not the case in some ethnic and racial minorities. Kristine Madsen, M.D an assistant professor at the University of California San Francisco said progress is visible only in some groups, for the first time in three decades. The study has been published online and will appear In Pediatrics, September issue.
House Committee approves the ‘Improving Nutrition for America’s children Act’
House Education and labor Committee, are very serious on ensuring America’s children have more healthy and nutritious food.On Thursday, ‘the improving of America’s children Act’ was approved with a bipartisan vote of 32-12. That the nation’s school lunch had to be improved was supported by important people like Jamie Oliver and Michelle Obama.
This was instigated by a report from Centers for Disease Control ands Prevention which states that 1out of 5, one American child is obese. Program manager at Slow Food USA, Gordon Jenkins said this bill is one of the best child nutrition bills the country has seen. He further said he was very happy that this bill would have stronger nutrition regulations and also supported fresh products for healthy snacks school programs.
On Taking Soda Out of Sacramento School Vending Machines
On July 13, First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a national live web chat promoting her new project to prevent childhood obesity among children. The project was spearheaded to address the growing obesity problem among children in Sacramento. Often, parents fail to recognize that their children are suffering from this serious health condition because many public schools in the country are loaded with vending machines selling sodas with artificial sweeteners that cause weight problems.
The Journal of Food Science published a study on April 11, 2007 which reveals that a natural orange juice is packed with nutrients than apple, prune, and pineapple. It also shows that 100 percent orange juice is able to provide 25% of the total daily fruit and vegetable servings as required by the US dietary allowance based on a 2,000-calorie diet. The study was led by Dr. Gail Rampersaud of University of Florida’s Nutrition Research and Education, Inst. of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and Food Science and Human Nutrition Department.