Relates the origin and aims of the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) begun in 1972. It has failed to improve the health of newborn children or lower the infant mortality rate, because these problems relate to behavior rather than lack of food. Prenatal care and medical intervention are more appropriate…

Compared weight losses of 49 obese women assigned to 52-week behavioral program combined with moderate or severe caloric restriction. Those in severe caloric restriction group lost significantly more weight during first 26 weeks but regained some weight. Reports of binge eating declined in both groups, and no relationship was observed between…

Investigated the level and pattern of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in obese children, examining predictors of their activity. Children and their parents wore accelerometers for several days and provided demographic data. Parental activity levels significantly and independently predicted and improved the prediction of children's…

Reports suggest that 7% to 18% of Australian adults are obese and a further 16% to 55% are overweight. Studies from other countries have indicated that obesity among people with an intellectual disability may be at least, or even more, prevalent. Prevalence rates range from 28% to 59%. The aim of the current study was to investigate the weight…

Consistent with the intent of the original school-lunch program, created by Congress in 1946 to provide "nutritious agricultural commodities" to children, the major purpose of today's school-lunch program is to ensure that children, especially those from poor and low-income families, have nutritious food at school. Even as contentious and partisan…

A new approach is presented to analyze if there is a causal effect or relationship between income and measures of good health and life expectancy. One of the findings is that winning monetary lotteries could improve general health by 3 percent and decreased probability of death within five years by 2-3 percentage points. Higher income by 10…

During the last two decades, obesity rates in the United States have escalated dramatically, and intense media coverage of obesity issues has fueled consumer interest in low-carbohydrate diets designed to promote rapid weight loss. The food industry has fostered the assumption that a drop in carbohydrate consumption will translate into a drop in…

Resting metabolic rate (RMR) of 22 individuals with Down syndrome was compared to that of 20 nondisabled control individuals of similar age (25.7 and 27.4 years, respectively). Using a ventilated hood system, we measured RMR in the early morning after an overnight fast. Peak aerobic capacity Volume of Oxygen (VO2 peak) and body composition were…

In this article, the author focuses on how to reinforce the anti-obesity lessons being taught at home with some solid school programs. She stresses the importance of addressing the problem of childhood obesity in the schools from the aspect of what school boards can do through policy, what administrators can do through better practices in the…

Food is talked about endlessly in the media, at local, regional, national and indeed global levels. People are always wondering, therefore, about what is "good" or "right" to eat. To look for answers without giving enough consideration to trends and fashions, without thinking of the bigger picture, the implications of what…

This article reports the findings of a statewide study evaluating the body weights of nearly all public school students in Arkansas. Researchers in Arkansas analyzed "body-mass index" data for more than 345,000 students at all grade levels in 93 percent of the state's public schools during the 2003-04 school year. Based on the data, the…

In this testimony Celia Hagert, senior policy analyst for the Center for Public Policy Priorities, testifies in support of CSHB 454, which relates to the provision of free lunch and breakfast to all enrolled students in certain school districts and campuses. Houston Independent School District (HISD) started serving free breakfast to all students…

Much attention is currently being paid to rising rates of obesity, especially among youth. In this context, garden-based education can have a role in improving public health. A qualitative study conducted at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) Children's Garden provides supporting evidence for the claim that growing vegetables can improve the…

Overweight and obesity plague American society and their burden is shared disproportionately by minorities at all age levels. The ramifications of overweight are well documented and include chronic morbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and certain forms of cancer. Immigrants, who comprise 11% of…

Study aim: To examine the prevalence of obesity and its correlation with blood pressure, waist circumference and other health related risk factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity and TV/PC-screen time) in German youths. Material and methods: A cohort of 831 boys and 808 girls, fifth- to tenth-graders from 3 German high schools…