Obese Kids Have Middle-Aged Arteries

New rules advise testing as young as 2, treating with statins at 8

(NEWSER) - With 30% of US children overweight, pediatricians are now recommending cholesterol screenings for kids as young as 2, and the use of cholesterol-fighting drugs in youngsters 8 and up, in order to stave off diabetes and early heart attacks. Some 30%-60% of children with high cholesterol aren’t being treated, the American Academy of Pediatrics says, and those with family histories of cardiovascular problems should be screened and treated. More»

Strict measures aim to reduce number of overweight kids

(NEWSER) - The most stringent guidelines to date for combating childhood obesity recommend yearly weight checks and possibly even medication or surgery for kids who can't combat the condition on their own, USA Today reports. Doctors should also keep normal-weight kids apprised of the ins and outs of healthy living, a panel of medical experts said in a report out today. More»

Parents should wean children, feed them meat, eggs, study says

(NEWSER) - Overweight toddlers are more than twice as likely to have iron deficiencies as their skinnier counterparts, with Hispanics facing the highest risk, concludes a study in September’s Pediatrics, the first to link obesity with low iron levels. Researchers stressed the importance of weaning kids 1 to 3 years old off bottles of milk and juice, introducing meats, eggs, and other iron-rich foods. More»

(AP) - A striking new study says almost 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese, and the rate is alarmingly higher among American Indian children, with nearly a third of them obese. Researchers were surprised to see differences by race at so early an age. Obesity is more common in Hispanic and black youngsters, too, but the disparity is most startling in American Indians, whose rate is almost double that of whites. More»

Dangerously chubby children may end up in social service system

(NEWSER) - Local government leaders in Britain warn that they may need to take drastic action to protect the health of dangerously overweight children—including taking them away from their parents, the Independent reports. They predict that a million British children will be clinically obese within four years, and that the social service system may have to take charge of caring for children in the worst cases. More»