Supplements for Overweight Kids

Wow! It sounds like parents would really need to weigh the benefit versus the risk on this one, but it could be a big step in the fight against childhood obesity. What do you think?

FROM FOX NEWS: Supplements containing the dietary fat conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) may help overweight kids curb the amount of fat they gain over time, a small study suggests.

Researchers found that overweight and obese children who took the CLA supplement for seven months showed less fat accumulation than a comparison group of children given a placebo.

However, children on the supplement also showed a dip in their blood levels of "good" HDL cholesterol and a lesser gain in bone mass over time.

The findings suggest that while CLA might help slow body fat gain, its overall safety and effectiveness for children needs to be studied further, the researchers note in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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No Birthday Cupcakes at school!

FROM CNN: Childhood obesity is reaching alarmingly high rates. One elementary school principal is taking matters into her own hands and imposing a sugar-free zone.

When it comes to preventing obesity, Browns Mill Elementary Principal Yvonne Sanders-Butler runs a tight ship. For the past decade she's declared the school a sugar-free zone, banning soda machines and even birthday cupcakes. "Childhood obesity- it's our tsunami, it's our Katrina, it's wall street today. If we're really thinking about the best interests about the young people today then we will take a stand," she said. Promoting a healthy diet isn't her only focus; students and staff get an hour of physical activity every day. Sanders-Butler says the approach is making a difference in the classroom.

Discipline complaints from teachers are down and reading test scores are up. Don't you want to know that the children we're educating today will truly be healthy enough to lead for tomorrow? Former students like Simone Davis are grateful for the sugar-free policy. "I was one of the heavier students in elementary school so I really lost a lot of weight and just became healthier overall," she said. -An important lesson with long-lasting results.

We do tend to have a lot of birthday treats at school. I try to bring fruit and crackers instead of cupcakes/cookies/Little Debbie products when I do snack day. However, I think it's okay to have a treat for birthdays. Maybe there are just so many kids at this school being mentioned that there would be too many cupcake days. I don't know. I do like the idea of schools promoting healthy eating habits!!

Do you think it's okay for kids to bring cupcakes on their birthday?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Teenagers and Food

From ABC:

The federal government has had a look at young people's diets-- not just what they put in their mouths-- but also the steady diet of advertising-- spoon fed them by the food industry. A study out finds that-- in both cases-- the kids are on overload.

We've all seen them- commercials that blur the lines between products-- but do these ads encourage kids to eat fattening, sugary snacks? Concerned by the growing rates of childhood obesity- lawmakers ordered an investigation into the marketing practices of the nation's leading companies. In a report released this week, the Federal Trade Commission found that the largest food and beverage companies spent about $1.6 billion in 2006 marketing to children.

Mary Engle with the Federal Trade Commission said, "In 2006, about 80 films, TV shows and video games, were used in marketing food to children and teens." Promotion of movies like "Superman returns" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" were prominent that year. Based on their data, the FTC recommended that companies adhere to nutrition-based standards in their marketing. Even before the report came out, more than a dozen major companies, including ABC News' parent company Disney adopted nutritional guidelines.

Some experts say more companies need to get on board. Margo Wootan with the Center of Science in the Public Interest said, "There needs to be one national nutrition standard for food marketing to kids that all food companies, fast food restaurants, and entertainment companies adopt." The FTC acknowledged that childhood obesity is a complex problem- and can 't be blamed on advertising alone. They said fewer physical education programs and a more sedentary lifestyle are also to blame.

My son in particular is very fascinated with commercials about food on TV. He has asked me for stuff I have never heard of! I have learned NEVER to give in to some things. Otherwise he will ask me for that certain sugary, fattening snack every second of every day. How about you? Are your kids influenced by food marketing?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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