September 7th, 2010 by office
Obese children in grades 3 to 6 are more likely to be bullied than normal weight children, according to a recent study in Pediatrics. This statistic may not surprise too many people. However, even obese kids with characteristics that normally discourage bullying, such as good social skills or good academics, still get bullied just as much. Here at Camp Shane weight loss camp, bullying is absolutely not tolerated. Our campers work towards weight loss in a fun, productive way through exercise and nutrition and make many friends in the process.
Bullying
In general, children who are obese are 65% more likely to be bullied than normal weight children of the same age. These results persisted even when other factors were taken into account, such as being from a low-income family or doing badly in school. Prior to this study, researchers did not know how strongly a child’s weight would be related to bullying. Now they have no doubt that obesity is a strong risk factor for bullying among children (in grades 3 to 6).
Struggles of Obese Children
Overweight and obese children tend to have added struggles that their normal-weight peers do not. In addition to be being bullied, overweight children tend to indicate that they feel lonely, see themselves as troublemakers, or say that they are sad, afraid, or “wimpy.”
Mimicking Behaviors
One reason why kids may make fun of overweight classmates could be that they are picking up this behavior from the adults around them. Children are prone to taking on adult behaviors if they see adults acting in certain ways. As such, adults should be aware of how their “fat” jokes or other demeaning behaviors (or even those seen on TV) towards overweight or obese people could be transferring to the children around them. In fact, interaction with parents in and of itself has been seen to reduce bullying.
How Adults Can Help
Previous studies have shown that obese children are also more likely to participate in bullying due to their low self-esteem. Obesity is a vicious cycle of low self-esteem, eating, gaining weight, and then more low self-esteem. If parents (or other adult figures) become more interactive with their children they may be able to help them either deal with being bullied or stop bullying others.
Written by Camp Shane Nutritionist, Jessica Bouchard
Source: http://news.health.com/2010/05/03/obese-kids-bullying/
Tags: bullying, exercise, nutrition, obese children, obese kids, overweight children, weight loss
Posted in Childhood Obesity, Parenting | No Comments »
September 2nd, 2010 by office
Portion control is a strategy that everyone can use in order to facilitate weight loss and prevent childhood obesity. Portion sizes for children are smaller than those for adults and should be taken into account accordingly. It is easy to portion out child sizes; all you need is your kid’s hand! For whole grain, like brown rice or whole-wheat pasta, a serving is about the size of your child’s fist. This is also how to measure a serving of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products (i.e. yogurt). A serving of cheese is different however, and should be measured as the size of your child’s thumb. For snacking and snack foods, about the amount that your child can fit in their hand is enough. The portion sizes will change as your child gets older and their hand also gets bigger. Camp Shane weight loss camp for children and teens emphasizes portion control by planning the serving size of each meal accordingly. Our team of nutritionists make sure that kids are not only eating healthy, but also eating the right amount in order to see weight loss results. It’s easy to control portion size at home also. Parenting magazine has identified some signs that you can you use in order to see if you are giving your child portion sizes that are too large.
5 Signs You Could Be Feeding Your Child Too Much
1. They push their food around their plate (or play with it) and don’t finish what you give them.
2. They aren’t hungry for their next meal or snack, which they normally would have eaten.
3. The amount of food on your kid’s plate is close to the amount that you have on yours.
4. The first thing that you do when your kid is upset or tired is to give them a snack. What kids really need is affection. They should be hugged, given some quiet time, or given a drink (dehydration can cause hunger and tiredness) instead.
5. Their clothes are getting too tight, especially in the chest, waist, or rear, even though the length is still fine. It is easier for some parents to see that their children have gained weight by noticing how their clothes fit than just by looking at their kid.
Written by Camp Shane Nutritionist, Jessica Bouchard
Source: http://www.parenting.com/article/Child/Recipes–Nutrition-For-Children/Portion-Control-for-Kids
Source: http://www.hlconline.org/parents.html
Tags: Childhood Obesity, portion size, weight loss, weight loss camp
Posted in Childhood Obesity, Healthy Eating, Parenting | 2 Comments »
August 31st, 2010 by office
Having the so-called fat mass-and-obesity (FTO) gene does not necessarily mean that teens will become obese. In a recent study of 752 teens, 37 percent did not have FTO mutations, 47 percent had one copy and 16 percent had two copies. According to a study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, the effects of the gene can be avoided with an adequate amount of physical activity. One great option for any child or teenager is a summer weight loss camp, such as Camp Shane, which always encourages a healthy lifestyle through proper fitness and nutrition techniques.
The FTO Gene
Each copy of a mutation in the FTO gene is correlated with an increase in weight of about 3.3 pounds. Having copies of the mutation is linked to having a higher body mass index (BMI), a higher percentage of body fat, and a larger waist. However, this can be almost completely combated by adding one hour of physical activity to each day. In other words, if a teenager gets the recommended amount of exercise per day, they can offset their genetic predisposition to obesity. Besides being able to lower their BMI through an hour of exercise daily, obese teens (with the obesity gene) can also decrease body fat mass and waist circumference.
Physical Activity Recommendations
It is recommended that all teens get at least 60 minutes of exercise (moderate and vigorous) a day, such as playing sports. Most of us do not get our genes tested, therefore, 
the above recommendations for physical activity should be followed by all teenagers. We cannot choose our genetic make-up but we can choose how we modify our lifestyle to either maximize or minimize our genes. If a teenager has a gene that predisposes them to obesity, they may be able to cancel it out by eating healthfully, exercising regularly, and adopting other healthy lifestyle behaviors, all of which we encourage at Camp Shane.
Written by Camp Shane Nutritionist, Jessica Bouchard
Source: http://news.health.com/2010/04/05/exercise-helps-teens-overcome-obesity-gene/
Tags: BMI, body mass index, Camp Shane, fat mass-and-obesity, healthy lifestyle, obese, obese teens, obesity gene, physical activity
Posted in Childhood Obesity, Fitness, Healthy Lifestyles | 5 Comments »
August 26th, 2010 by office
Childhood obesity is a problem that continues to grow in this country. One recent study looked at the effects of a vegetarian diet on childhood obesity. Childhood obesity can increase a child’s risk of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes either later in life or much sooner. Research indicates that vegetarian diets are associated with a lower body mass index (BMI) and a lower prevalence of obesity in both adults and children. Compared to children who eat meat, vegetarian children have a lower body weight and lower BMIs. Hence, they have lower rates of obesity.
Omnivores vs. Vegetarians
Foods that come from animals (meat, dairy, eggs) were found to be associated with a higher risk of being overweight. Foods found to be preventive or show no association to being overweight were plant foods (cereals, legumes, nuts) and fruits, vegetables, and vegetable protein products, respectively. Since plant-based diets are not high in energy density, are high in complex carbohydrates, fiber, and water, they may help children to feel fuller and to increase their resting energy expenditure. Therefore, a vegetarian diet may be helpful in preventing childhood obesity.
Should Your Child Become a Vegetarian?
It may not be plausible for your child to eat a fully vegetarian diet, but just decreasing the number of times your child eats meat during the week may help to prevent obesity and other health complications. The main reason why animal foods would lead to obesity is that they are high in saturated fats. However, these foods are fine in moderation. If your child is already vegetarian and following a healthy diet, then they already have protection against obesity and other adverse health outcomes.
Written by Camp Shane Nutritionist, Jessica Bouchard
Tags: BMI, body mass index, Childhood Obesity, diet, vegetarian
Posted in Childhood Obesity, Healthy Eating, Healthy Lifestyles, Parenting | 9 Comments »
August 24th, 2010 by office
Using nature and outdoor activity to improve children’s health
In the past couple of decades, children’s lives have become less physically active and more sedentary. Along with this, children are spending much less time outdoors, playing videos games, watching TV, or being on the computer instead. On average, young people take in 7.5 hours of media per day, which is 1 hour more per day than was reported 5 years ago. Some effects of the sedentary lives of children are a rise in type 2 diabetes in children, obesity, and vitamin D deficiency (which can lead to rickets, a skeletal abnormality). Vitamin D can be obtained from sun exposure and is important for bone health and immune function.
Adverse Health Outcomes
If obesity and o
ther conditions exist into adulthood, they can lead to cardiovascular and pulmonary problems. Taking these factors into account, there should be a focus on the promotion of outdoor physical activity in order to improve the overall health of children. Physical activity has been proven to improve insulin sensitivity and maintain metabolic control in children with type 2 diabetes.
Being Outdoors Promotes Physical Activity
It has also been found that children who spend more time outdoors tend to do more physical activity. Parents of pre-school children have reported that their children normally engage in physical activity when they are outdoors, as opposed to doing indoor activities. Access to safe outdoor areas to play in has decreased in recent years, especially in big cities. However, many schools and local governments have come together to increase the amount of safe areas to play in that exist in community. Based on these study results, children should spend more time outdoors to increase their physical activity and get some much-needed sun exposure to ward off adverse nutrition-related outcomes.
Written by Camp Shane Nutritionist, Jessica Bouchard
Tags: children's health, obesity, physical activity, type 2 diabetes
Posted in Childhood Obesity, Healthy Lifestyles, Parenting | 4 Comments »
