 Email this article to a friend  Printable Version FREE Email Newsletter
Overweight children and adolescents often show signs of the metabolic syndrome -- a cluster of risk factors that raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes. These include, in addition to excess body weight, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol levels.
The good news is that diet and exercise can have a positive effect on reducing these risk factors in overweight youth, Dr. Roshanak Monzavi and colleagues at Children's Hospital Los Angeles have found.
In their study of 109 substantially overweight 8- to 16-year-olds, roughly half (49.5 percent) had multiple risk factors associated with the metabolic syndrome. Ten percent had impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance, precursors to full-blown diabetes.
Importantly, the researchers report in the journal Pediatrics, a subset of children who completed a 12-week family-centered lifestyle intervention program saw significant improvements in body mass index, blood pressure, lipids, blood sugar, and the fat-related hormone leptin.
The "Kids N Fitness" program, developed at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, consists of once-weekly 90-minute sessions. For 45 minutes, the children play dodge ball, volleyball, jump rope, and run to promote moderate to vigorous aerobic activity. While the children are exercising, parents attend education sessions focusing on the harmful effects of obesity. During the last 45 minutes, children and parents come together to learn about nutrition and healthy eating habits from a registered dietitian.
"Our study suggests that an intensive lifestyle intervention that combines nutrition education and exercise may improve metabolic outcomes in as little as 12 weeks," Monzavi and colleagues conclude.
Longer-term studies are needed to see whether these improvements can be sustained, they note.
Get articles like this delivered to you FREE in our popular email newsletter
|
(FREE) Thursday evening, Dec. 3 at 6pm Pacific (9pm Eastern), call in to hear the NaturalNews Talk Hour with special guests Nick Stern, Sun Warrior Protein & KC Craichy, LivingFuel - "Super Foods, Optimal Health" - Register via email to receive call-in number:
|
|
Explore NaturalPedia.com, the internet's largest natural health encyclopedia of knowledge, covering over 50,000 topics. It's free!
Visit NaturalPedia.com.
|
 FREE Report: The Five Best Anti-Viral Products to Beat Influenza, Swine Flu, Bird Flu and SARS
• Top anti-viral remedies
• Where to get them now
• Four things to avoid
• Become self-reliant
• Boost your family safety
Click here to read the FREE report now.
|
W.H.O. Declares Global Pandemic
Turn FEAR into Confidence!
Listen to the complete 3.5 hour recording on 4 audio CDs of the Health Ranger's Swine Flu Advanced Preparedness Course, covering natural anti-virals, family safety, infrastructure disruptions, quarantine, preparedness gear and much more.
Testimonials:
"Mike Adams' preparedness course turned our fears into confidence. This is POWERFUL information, coming from a trusted source. If you want to save yourself countless hours researching and getting prepared and if you want to do everything in your power to protect your family, I highly recommend the Health Ranger’s Advanced Preparedness Course."
- N. Nelson (Arizona)
"This is packed information no one should miss."
- T. Valenzuela
"Thanks Mike... during this class you covered prevention and preparedness from A to Z with integrity, brave honesty and outstanding knowledge! Thank you for your steadfast, thorough and cool-headed approach to well being. With deep gratitude for your service." - Bev
Available NOW for immediate shipping.
100% satisfaction guarantee
 NEW Product: Valley of Longevity Shampoo from the Health Ranger
• 98% Organic
• 100% Natural
• 100% Fragrance Free!
• No SLS
• No Parabens
• No synthetic chemicals
• FREE shipping in U.S. on orders over $75
Click here to read more...
|
|
|
Email this article to a friend
Share this article on: 
