Teen Obesity Can Cause Liver Disease, Cancer

Only 13% recognize when their child is obese

(NEWSER) - Nearly half the parents of severely overweight children ages 6 to 11 said their child was “about the right weight,” and only 13% recognized that their child had a severe problem, says a University of Michigan study. The results indicate parents think children will “grow out” of obesity or that something will change as they age, reports the AP. More»

Though Controversial, BMI Screenings for Children Increasingly Common

(NEWSER) - School nurses in six states are now sending out "obesity report cards," giving parents the results of mandatory Body Mass Index screenings of their children. With the number of overweight kids quadrupling over the last 40 years, advocates aim to detect health issues early. But not all parents are thrilled with the information. More»

Researchers find links to problems later from prenatal to 3 years old

(NEWSER) - A kid's path to fat camp may begin even before conception, and, as one doctor tells the Los Angeles Times , “during pregnancy and the first two years of life, mothers and their infants are seen by physicians more often than any other time. It's kind of a golden opportunity” to stop obesity before it starts. What you can do during: More»

Definitive connection can't be made due to lack of relevant study

(NEWSER) - Levels of a marker tied to adult heart disease were twice as high in the blood of obese children as in the blood of average-weight kids in a recent study. The twist is that the research subjects were 3 to 5 years old, sparking concerns about the cumulative health effects of obesity. Researchers can't draw a direct connection between levels of the protein in children and heart ailments later in life, but one doctor says there is no reason to believe age makes a difference. More»

(NEWSER) - Overweight kids eat more when they eat with their overweight friends, Newsweek reports. A new study tested a child's consumption of healthy snacks and junk food while in the company of a friend or stranger who was either fat or lean. Overweight kids eating with a chubby buddy ate more unhealthy calories than any other pairing. More»