A new study co-authored by Children’s obesity expert David Ludwig, MD, PhD, says that the majority of obese Americans will not lose a significant amount of weight unless there are serious societal changes concerning food. The article, published in JAMA, takes a look at the science involved in caloric intake versus physical activity and suggests that fundamental changes in America’s food supply and social infrastructure must take place in order to successfully take on the obesity epidemic.
Kids’ vaccines are making holiday visits less infectious. California has turned up 10 autism clusters in neighborhoods with high concentrations of white, highly educated parents. Abused children are much more likely to develop migraines as adults. When it comes to math skills, gender differences are hard to find.
Dr. Claire McCarthy is a primary care physician and the Medical Communications Editor at Children’s Hospital Boston. Along with her blogs here on Thriving, you can find her at the Huffington Post and Boston.com. Follow her on Twitter @drClaire.
From swine flu to obesity to dangerous plastics, many issues that affect children’s health garnered media attention in the year 2009. Here’s a rundown of the some of the biggest and most important stories:
H1N1
This is the story that caught the most attention—for good reason. Not only is the H1N1 influenza virus very contagious, it appears to particularly affect young people. H1N1 caused more pediatric hospitalizations and deaths than we usually see with the seasonal influenza virus, which is very scary for parents (and pediatricians!). The virus led to countless school closings—sometimes to control the spread, and sometimes because there weren’t enough teachers left to teach! Full story »
Children’s diet quality has declined to shocking levels, directly fueling the obesity epidemic. There are, of course, many forces affecting the eating habits of children today, such as the widespread availability of junk food, an under-funded school lunch program, and busy, stressed families. However, TV advertising to children has undoubtedly played a major role. Saturday morning children’s shows have seemingly become little more than a continuous food commercial, with beloved, iconic cartoon figures like SpongeBob peddling junk foods during programming as well as ads.
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on December 18, 2009
Mirna “Minnie” Ortiz is a lot like most 16-year-olds. She likes hanging out with her friends, watching television and has dreams for her future. Unlike other teens her age, Minnie is the only person she knows that has Type 2 diabetes. Minnie recently shared her story with PBS in an online video series. Here is Minnie’s introductory video in the series, and below she shares her story about being diagnosed with Type 2 and how it’s changed her life.
Minnie’s story
I was getting really sick towards the end of August 2005. I was throwing up, really thirsty all of the time and felt like I could sleep all day. I was constantly asking for sugary drinks and foods. That’s what my mom would give me. She had no idea at the time that I had diabetes. Full story »
It’s beginning to look and feel a lot like the holiday season! With celebrations of all sorts just around the corner many people find themselves asking, how do you balance healthful eating with all the tempting treats and fun foods? Here are some tips to keep up healthful habits but also enjoy your holiday favorites. Full story »
Do you have a Children's Hospital Boston story you'd like heard? By sharing your Children's story you can be a great source of inspiration and encouragement to families who are going through similar situations. And it’s a great way to find support by connecting with others. Share your story today »
A new study co-authored by Children’s obesity expert David Ludwig, MD, PhD, says that the majority of obese Americans will not lose a significant amount of weight unless there are serious societal changes concerning food. The article, published in JAMA, takes a look at the science involved in caloric intake versus physical activity and suggests that fundamental changes in America’s food supply and social infrastructure must take place in order to successfully take on the obesity epidemic.
Other stories we’ve been reading:
From swine flu to obesity to dangerous plastics, many issues that affect children’s health garnered media attention in the year 2009. Here’s a rundown of the some of the biggest and most important stories:
Children’s diet quality has declined to shocking levels, directly fueling the obesity epidemic. There are, of course, many forces affecting the eating habits of children today, such as the widespread availability of junk food, an under-funded school lunch program, and busy, stressed families. However, TV advertising to children has undoubtedly played a major role. Saturday morning children’s shows have seemingly become little more than a continuous food commercial, with beloved, iconic cartoon figures like SpongeBob peddling junk foods during programming as well as ads.
Uganda outlaws 
by 
