Comparison of childhood and adolescent obesity and anorexia nervosa reveals etiological similarities between the two conditions, particularly regarding family interactional patterns. In both cases, family enmeshment and overprotectiveness resulted in a poor sense of identity and effectiveness. Some children, while compliant and dependent in…

Twelve articles present information on childhood health matters, covering such topics as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, obesity, lead, drug abuse, alcohol use, pesticides in schools, school bullies, and reading resources. (CB)

Examined development of self-body-esteem and relation between self-esteem and body-esteem in overweight and normal weight boys and girls in three age groups. Results were interpreted in terms of age differences in subjects and possible social influences in development of self-esteem in overweight youngsters. (Author/DST)

The No Child Left Behind Amendment (NCLBA ) established new safeguards about the use of student data for marketing or selling purposes. Specifically, NCLBA amended the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) of 1994 addressing pupil privacy by requiring school districts to develop a policy on the collection, disclosure, and use of personal…

Childhood and adolescent obesity rates have reached epidemic proportions in the United States and are growing. The sedentary routines found in schools and in the home as well as the overexposure to unhealthy snacks and nonnutritional foods contribute to the pervasiveness of this disease that afflicts America's children. Obese children face…

This Digest discusses the importance of and ways to foster activity and exercise in children. Following an introduction, the Digest is organized into four sections. The first section deals with the significant health benefits of physical activity, including: reduction in chronic disease risk; lowered risk of colon cancer; increase in bone density;…

The importance of educating students about obesity is stressed. Desirable instructional goals include: (1) providing accurate information about obesity; (2) preventing obesity (if possible); (3) treating it; and (4) making students aware that much of the prejudice against fat people is irrational. (PP)

Compared a weight control treatment specifically tailored to the needs of residence hall students with a standardized behavioral procedure. Although posttreatment results indicated a very slight and nonsignificant advantage for the residence hall condition, this was not true at follow-up. Suggests the residence hall procedure may be overly…

A nutrition and diet group was established to lend support to and instill dieting techniques and correct eating habits in a group of 10 girls. Weight loss goals were established but no specific demands were made. (JN)

Overweight preadolescents and parents from (N=76) families were assigned to behavioral treatment groups: parent-child target, child target, or nonspecific target. Percent overweight changes at the end of eight-month treatment and follow-up were equivalent for children in all groups, but parents in the parent-child group lost more weight during…

Among areas covered in a health maintenance survey are: (1) health maintenance and preventive medicine; (2) unhealthy lifestyles; (3) knowledge level; (4) obesity; (5) exercise; (6) nutrition; (7) mental health; (8) smoking; (9) drinking; (10) the role of the physician; and (11) the changing role of the employer. (JN)

Both individual and group behavior therapies were compared to a stringent social pressure comparison program in the treatment of an obese female community population. Whereas the two group treatments resulted in successful maintenance of treatment-produced weight reduction, subjects treated with individual behavior therapy showed substantial…

Among 152 low-income Mexican American mothers and 350 children in San Jose (California) and rural Tulare County, about half of mothers and 14% of children were overweight. Nine percent of rural children and 17% of urban children were unusually short. Maternal obesity was related to acculturation factors, whereas child height was related to…

Reports a study that tracked the fatness of elementary students over two years using current fitness test standards, assessing the athletic competence of obese and nonobese children. Children who were obese at the beginning of the study were likely to remain so. The study's findings regarding athletic competence were equivocal. (SM)