childhood obesity : NPR

Babies Who Eat Too Well May Be On The Path To Obesity

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Babies Who Eat Too Well May Be On The Path To Obesity

February 18, 2014 • Do pushy parents make a baby fatter, or is it all in the genes? That's one of the big puzzles that scientists are trying to answer. Two studies suggest that an individual's interest in food is a big factor, even in babies. A genetic predisposition may be involved.

Most Teens Aren't Active Enough, And It's Not Always Their Fault

The CDC would be happy with these guys, who were playing in Birmingham, Ala., in July 2013. Teenage boys say basketball is their favorite activity. Mark Almond/AL.COM /Landov hide caption

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Most Teens Aren't Active Enough, And It's Not Always Their Fault

February 3, 2014 • Only one quarter of young teens are getting enough exercise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Organized sports often aren't enough to meet that hour a day goal. But parents can help by building more activity into family life.

Most Teens Aren't Active Enough, And It's Not Always Their Fault

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Adult Obesity May Have Origins Way Back In Kindergarten

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Adult Obesity May Have Origins Way Back In Kindergarten

January 29, 2014 • Overweight kindergartners are much more likely to be obese by eighth grade compared to their normal-weight peers, a study finds. The solution may be for women to avoid gaining too much weight during pregnancy, researchers say, as well as helping kids get exercise and eat healthy foods.

Adult Obesity May Have Origins Way Back In Kindergarten

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Why Letting Kids Serve Themselves May Be Worth The Mess

Adults tend to overestimate how much small children can eat, a child development researcher says. Getty Images/iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Why Letting Kids Serve Themselves May Be Worth The Mess

January 21, 2014 • Research shows that when kids are allowed to serve themselves, they're less likely to overeat. They also tend to be more open to trying different kinds of foods.

These Days, School Lunch Hours Are More Like 15 Minutes

Students at Lowell High School in Michigan sit down for lunch. Shorter lunch breaks mean that many kids don't get enough time to eat and socialize. Emily Zoladz/Landov hide caption

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Emily Zoladz/Landov

These Days, School Lunch Hours Are More Like 15 Minutes

December 4, 2013 • In a new poll, parents complain that their children are not getting nearly enough time for a basic school ritual: eating lunch. And that's worrying parents and administrators, given that about one-third of American kids are overweight or obese.

These Days, School Lunch Hours Are More Like 15 Minutes

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Bariatric Surgery Can Keep Pounds Off For Years

Just knowing that someone is obese doesn't mean they would benefit from bariatric surgery, doctors say. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Bariatric Surgery Can Keep Pounds Off For Years

November 4, 2013 • Three years after bariatic surgery, most people experienced health improvements. Yet some people benefited much more than others. Figuring out those differences would help doctors and patients understand who should have surgery and who should avoid it.

Teens Curb Sodas And TV, But More Work Needed In Obesity Fight

Teenagers put in more than two hours a day of TV time on average, still more than what pediatricians say is healthy. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Teens Curb Sodas And TV, But More Work Needed In Obesity Fight

September 16, 2013 • After a decade of pressure from schools, parents and public health officials, teenagers do seem to be doing a wee bit better when it comes to eating fruits and vegetables and cutting back on sugary drinks. But they've got a long way to go to be considered healthy eaters.

Falling Obesity Rates Among Preschoolers Mark Healthful Trend

Small declines in obesity among young kids could help stem bigger problems in the future. Ocean/Corbis hide caption

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Falling Obesity Rates Among Preschoolers Mark Healthful Trend

August 6, 2013 • Federal officials say obesity rates among low-income preschoolers are declining in 19 states and U.S. territories. Rates are flat in 20 more states. The findings are cause for optimism, the officials say.

Falling Obesity Rates Among Preschoolers Mark Healthful Trend

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Your Child's Fat, Mine's Fine: Rose-Colored Glasses And The Obesity Epidemic

March 4, 2013 • Despite current trends, most parents assume their own kids won't grow up to be overweight adults. That 'optimism bias' has neurological roots, brain scientists say.

Your Child's Fat, Mine's Fine: Rose-Colored Glasses And The Obesity Epidemic

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Sacrificing Sleep Makes For Run-Down Teens — And Parents

Napping in class may be common, but it's also a sign that kids need more sleep. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Sacrificing Sleep Makes For Run-Down Teens — And Parents

March 1, 2013 • Getting enough sleep is as crucial as eating well and exercising. But with family life spinning faster and faster, solid shut-eye is sometimes hard to come by. That can hurt kids' health — and increase their weight.

Sacrificing Sleep Makes For Run-Down Teens — And Parents

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Gauging Childhood Obesity Factors Takes A Unique Poll

A poll needs to ask about randomly selected children in households across the country to bring context to what's happening with kids like 7-year-old Henry Condes in Los Angeles. David Gilkey/NPR hide caption

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Shots - Health News

Gauging Childhood Obesity Factors Takes A Unique Poll

February 27, 2013 • NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health created a unique poll to gauge what children across the country are eating, drinking and doing as far as physical activity goes. Here's why.

How 'Crunch Time' Between School And Sleep Shapes Kids' Health

A new poll explores what happens in American households during the hours between school and bedtime. Image courtesy of The Bishop family (left), The Benavides family (top right), NPR (center) and The Jacobs family (bottom right) hide caption

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Image courtesy of The Bishop family (left), The Benavides family (top right), NPR (center) and The Jacobs family (bottom right)

Shots - Health News

How 'Crunch Time' Between School And Sleep Shapes Kids' Health

February 25, 2013 • A new poll explores how crucial everyday decisions are made in American households about food and exercise.

How 'Crunch Time' Between School And Sleep Shapes Kids' Health

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Kathy Del Tonto (far right) participates in a class that teaches school cafeteria workers how to prepare meals from scratch. LiveWell Colorado hide caption

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LiveWell Colorado

The Salt

One Lunch Lady's Cafeteria Conversion

CPR News

December 28, 2012 • "If it's not me, who's it going to be?" asks Colorado school cafeteria manager Kathy Del Tonto. After serving processed foods in her cafeterias for years, she realized that reducing childhood obesity can begin with her. She now has the lunch ladies making 95 percent of meals from scratch.

One Lunch Lady's Cafeteria Conversion

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Dip In Preschoolers' Obesity Hints Worst May Be Past For Weight

An overweight child reads her part during a skit that was in a 2010 program promoting healthy lifestyles sponsored by Children's Hospital near Denver. John Moore/Getty Images hide caption

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Shots - Health News

Dip In Preschoolers' Obesity Hints Worst May Be Past For Weight

December 26, 2012 • The obesity rate in preschoolers dropped a fraction of a point between 2010 and 2003, a federal study found. Although the change was small, it may signal that the obesity epidemic has peaked.

Restaurant Meals Mean More Calories And Soda For Kids And Teens

When they eat out at a restaurant, kids consume more calories than they do at home. Here, members of the Long Island Gulls hockey team enjoy a lunch at TGI Friday's back in 2007 in Marlborough, Mass. Bruce Bennett/Getty Images hide caption

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The Salt

Restaurant Meals Mean More Calories And Soda For Kids And Teens

November 6, 2012 • Whether you pick up some fast food or eat at a full service restaurant, eating out means eating more calories and drinking more sugary soda. For kids and teens, that has a lot of implications, especially as the country faces an obesity crisis.