Family meals Keep Kids Slimmer, healthier

(Monday, may 2, HealthDay News) - eat meals with their families help keep children thin and healthy, a new study finds.

Researchers pooled data from 17 earlier studies and concluded that young people who joined members of the family regularly for meals were 24% more likely to eat healthy foods that children rarely eat with their families. They are also less likely to suffer from eating disorders.

Parents can "really relate to and understand" the results, published in the May 2 pediatric issue, said the lead author of the study Amber Hammons, a partner of postdoctoral research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

"We wanted to go to the contribution of the family in positive results with regard to nutrition," said Hammons. "It is important for parents to know what they can do, especially with obesity and habits;" food they want to know what role they can play. ?

A research on the Internet in 2009, Family Resiliency Center the University researchers obtained relevant studies, involving nearly 183 000 children and adolescents from approximately 3 to 17 years. They watched the eating habits of young people, weight, and if they did something dangerous to control.

Those who ate three meals or more per week with their families were less likely to be obese than those who consume little or no meals with their families and 20 percent less likely to eat candyfrom 12 per cent fried foods, soda and other unhealthy foods.

Eating five meals or more together reduces the likelihood of poor nutrition of 25 p. 100, an analysis of eight studies have revealed.

Children who ate with their families also were 35 percent less likely to engage in "eating disorders" behaviors to lose weight, as the bulimic binge purging, take laxatives or diet pills, vomiting, skipping meals or smoking.

The participants are considered overweight if they had a (BMI) body mass index reaches or exceeds the 85th percentile, which means that they were heavier than 85% of the children of their age.

Eat two or more fruits and vegetables per day and skipping soda, candy and fried foods have been included as a measure of healthy nutrition.

While the study suggests that eating together as a family gives a "protective" benefit of the children, the reasons for this are unclear. Some of the possibilities included the value of adult models and adult intervention before bad behaviour becomes bad habits, the study said.

Further research revealed that home-prepared meals are more nutritious, more fruit and vegetables and fats, sugar and soda.

"We know that the home-prepared meals are more likely to be less calorie-dense," said Hammons. But other factors such as the communication in the meal could also drive the positive influence of family meals on health, she added.

She said "the future direction of research is will look at quantity of meals, but at what time so important meal,".

Another expert, Connie Diekman, Director of nutrition at the University of Washington University in St. Louis, said the study gives "a good overview of what research shows the importance of family meals" on the health of the child. But it has warned on its disadvantages.

"Some studies have limitations, including some variability in the collection of the nutritional results, diversity of ethnic origin and sex, and how the studies rated weight," said Diekman.

But even with these challenges, the study provides "strong indications that shared family meal patterns help to stimulate the nutrient intake, body weight control and potentially prevent eating disorders," said Diekman.

Children can imitate their parents, according to other research. A survey by the American Dietetic Association Foundation has found that children identified parents as their number one role models and claimed that if their parents have consumed more healthy foods, they would be too much, said Diekman.

The authors of this study say doctors should focus on the value of family meals for patients struggling with eating disorders and obesity.

SOURCES: Amber j. Hammons, Ph.d., postdoctoral research associate, Family Resiliency Center, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Connie Diekman, Director of nutrition at the University, Washington University in St. Louis, Mo. ; May 2, 2011, Pediatrics

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Common televisions in childcare centres, ignoring guidelines

(Tuesday, may 3, HealthDay News) - more than two-thirds of the centres included in a new American study child care were available for children to watch television, and almost 60 per cent of the centres ignored the American Academy of the guidelines of the Pediatrics for the exhibition of television in young children.

The study, conducted in Ohio, suggests that many children in child care centres may be ignore the kind of practical learning that only human interaction can bring.

"The thing about TV is that if he agrees to a delay in development, it is not bad, but it comes at the expense of interpersonal interactions, which is really how children reach the development goals," explained an expertDr Rahil Briggs, Director of the healthy program at Montefiore Medical Group in New York. It is not involved in the study.

"When children are balanced across the TV, they can be pass next to what is most important for social development and language: social interaction,"she said."".

The findings are expected to be presented Tuesday at the meeting of societies of Pediatric academies in Denver.

For youth in care, the American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends that children less than 2 years watch no TV for all the. For children in custody of children over 2 years, the AAP suggests that TV should be on not more than once per week and not more than 30 minutes per session, according to the study.

There are good reasons for lines guidelines, experts say.

"The evidence around television and children is that the TV display is associated with obesity, which may be because it replaces the physical activity time, children can be to eat while they are TV or exposure to food ads.""," said Dr. Kristen Copeland, principal author of the study.

"Children of less than 2 years, the concern is with learning and cognitive. "Learning occurs mainly through interaction with adults," said Copeland, who is a Professor of Pediatrics at the section of the General Pediatrics and Community Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati Children.

Sometimes, she acknowledged, parents may have to use TV to know their children while they play essential household work. But, she said, when a child is in daycare, there are different expectations.

Briggs agreed. "When parents put children in child care, at the beginning it they're hoping that it will be an opportunity to early learning." "And if the television is on daycare, he takes the time which should be used much better", she said.

This study included 255 Ohio child care centres. No home childcare providers were included in the study. Centres took treating children in early childhood to 6 years.

Overall, 177 (69 per cent) of the child had a TV, and children were watching TV on average four times per month. TV exposure rate was higher (94%) in the centres serving older children (3 to 6 years), and 10 per cent of day-care centres has had a "TV" on in [the] context, researchers noted.

Only 41% of the centres of custody of children interviewed all met TV of AAP, display of the guidelines.

Approximately half of the time, the viewing of TV was nature educational or related to a theme of class, the researchers noted, 30% of the time-TV entertainment programs, while 20 per cent was mixed education/entertainment listening, according to the study.

The good news of this study: child care centres (81%) most studied prohibits TV display for children aged of less than 2 years.

Centres that meets all the guidelines of AAP were likely to be national chains, have national accreditation, have higher tuition fees and to have fewer children with subsidized tuition fees, the study reported.

The study also took an overview to the use of the computer at daycare. They found that 77% of the centres used computers. More--88 percent - said that they had a limit on the time of the computer, and average time spent on the computer was 17 minutes. But, 84% authorized peers to that, the watch another child, with the computer.

"Computers are a truly new area that may grow." "I was surprised to prevalent how they have been for this age group," said Copeland.

Copeland, said that if the parents are concerned about the use of the media of their young children, the first step is to limit the use at home and follow the recommendations of the AAP for less than two hours a day of total screen time.

If the parents buy for child care, she said that TV and computer use should be on their list of issues. And if your child is already in a daycare centre that uses a TV, discuss your concerns with the Director of the Centre. "Often, when parents ask for something, the Centre will change." "It is a business, and they want to keep your business," said.

Of course, Briggs is also aware that some parents just do not have many choices when it comes to child care. Again, she says, it cannot not bad for the parents to make their preferences known, including sharing the guidelines of the AAP with the daycare staff and asking how many times the television is used.

Because the study has not yet published in a journal peer, its conclusions should be considered preliminary.

SOURCES: Kristen Copeland, M.D., Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, division of General and community Pediatrics, Hospital Medical Center, Ohio for children in Cincinnati; Rahil Briggs, Psy.D., Director, Healthy steps, Montefiore Medical Group and assistant professor of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City. May 3, 2011 presentation, paediatric societies academies / Asian society paediatric research, Denver, Co.

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Babies in child care centres receive breast milk

(Thursday, may 5, HealthDay News) - while new mothers are strongly encouraged to breastfeed their babies for at least a year, a small study of child care centres suggests that relatively few are in place to help mothers to do so.

The research conducted by doctors at Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati Children, revealed that only 12% of infants enrolled in child care centres in two counties near Cincinnati were fed milk from their motherWhile 96% of centre directors stated that they would be comfortable facilitating practice.

"We were surprised to find that despite high levels of personal comfort in the breast milk of food, only a small percentage of infants fed human milk," said study author Dr. Kristen Copeland, an assistant professor of Pediatrics at Medical Center of Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

A stone of stumbling big seems to be a lack of storage refrigerated overnight in centres for any breastfeeding pumped mothers might take care to leave, the study concluded.

"We know that the centres which are pumped to store milk from one day to the next day make it easier for women to ensure a steady supply of milk for their babies," Copeland said, "so if several centres offered storage during the night."It could increase the number of infants fed human milk. ?

The results were presented this week at a joint meeting of the Pediatric Society of companies / Asian University for pediatric research in Denver.

According to the researchers, about half of all newborns to the United States are in daycare, and 18% are in the centres.

To study, Copeland and his colleagues conducted telephone surveys with the directors of 167 childcare centres in two urban counties in southwestern Ohio. Administrators have asked how many infants are currently registered in their centres were fed breast milk pumped, how comfortable the Centre was with feed pumped breast milk, and the Centre has provided a refrigerator or freezer where mothers could store pumped breast milk during the night.

Only 26% of the said centres human milk may be kept during the night.

Three factors, enabling parents to store breast milk during the night, a primarily White inscription and a small proportion of infants receiving subsidized tuition fees, appeared to increase the chances that the babies were treated in a centre may receive milk from their motherthe researchers found.

Copeland, said that, although the study did not examine the reasons why little infants received bottles of milk pumped daycare, a lack of storage at night could be a key factor.

The low prevalence of milk breast feeding infants non-white and low income, most importantly, also could "reflect more low rates of breastfeeding initiation or limited options of women of pumping in the workplace," the authors reported.

"The findings speak for the enormous challenges facing women in power successfully breastfeed their babies,", said researcher Dr. Alison Stuebe, Assistant Professor of obstetrics and Gynecology at the school of the University of medicine at Chapel Hill North Carolina nursing.

Stuebe agreed that the differences observed between babies of poor or rich houses may be due, in part, mothers being does not able to pump during the work day. "The higher your income, it is that you have an Office with a door that you can close for twenty minutes, so you can pump," she said. "" "". If you are working in the window at the wheel of a fast-food, you do not have this possibility. ?

Centres of custody of children who want to be truly cooperative need more that simply provide storage during the night of pumped milk, noted Stuebe. "For example, it must also be a comfortable place where mothers can sit and breastfeed their baby, either at the time of lunch or when they come look at the end of the day," said.

SOURCES: Kristen Copeland, M.D., Assistant Professor, division of General and community Pediatrics, Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati Children; Alison Stuebe, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of obstetrics and Gynecology, division of maternal fetal medicine, University of school of medicine, North Carolina, Chapel Hill; May 1, 2011, presentation, society of companies / Asian paediatric University for pediatric research, Denver meeting

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School restoration costs: location matters

By Michael Ollinger, Katherine Ralston and Joanne Guthrie

Research report economic (Clerk of error-117) No. 52 pp, may 2011

Meals?31. 2 million breakfasts and 11 million of breakfasts?were more than 42 million was used on a typical day of the school in fiscal year 2009 to children by the USDA?s National School Lunch and programs of the school breakfast. Food Network (SFAs) school authorities operate local school feeding programs and deliver meals in schools. SFAs must serve the attractive meals, healthy while covering food, labour and other operating costs, a challenge which can be more difficult for some SFAs than others, due to differences in the cost per meal on sites. Analysis of data on the cost of school meals of a representative sample at the national level, great revealed that geographic variation is important. During the 2002-2003 school year, SFA in the southwest of the United States average, always had more costs restoration by meals that SFAs in other regions. Urban locations had cut costs by meal than their rural and suburban counterparts. The rates of wages and benefits, food expenditures by meals and SFA characteristic mixture of breakfasts and dinners served each contributed to the differences in fresh food services meals on sites. The importance of these factors varies by location.

Keyword (s): The national school lunch program, school breakfast, school meals, school of the cost of meals, ERS, USDA food services program

In this report...

Chapters are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

Graphs and charts (in .png format) of this report are available in the following .zip file. The .zip file also contains a (readme.txt) document that lists the name and title of each graphic or graphic file.

Update date: 3 May 2011.

View the original article here

School restoration costs: location matters

By Michael Ollinger, Katherine Ralston and Joanne Guthrie

Research report economic (Clerk of error-117) No. 52 pp, may 2011

Meals?31. 2 million breakfasts and 11 million of breakfasts?were more than 42 million was used on a typical day of the school in fiscal year 2009 to children by the USDA?s National School Lunch and programs of the school breakfast. Food Network (SFAs) school authorities operate local school feeding programs and deliver meals in schools. SFAs must serve the attractive meals, healthy while covering food, labour and other operating costs, a challenge which can be more difficult for some SFAs than others, due to differences in the cost per meal on sites. Analysis of data on the cost of school meals of a representative sample at the national level, great revealed that geographic variation is important. During the 2002-2003 school year, SFA in the southwest of the United States average, always had more costs restoration by meals that SFAs in other regions. Urban locations had cut costs by meal than their rural and suburban counterparts. The rates of wages and benefits, food expenditures by meals and SFA characteristic mixture of breakfasts and dinners served each contributed to the differences in fresh food services meals on sites. The importance of these factors varies by location.

Keyword (s): The national school lunch program, school breakfast, school meals, school of the cost of meals, ERS, USDA food services program

In this report...

Chapters are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

Graphs and charts (in .png format) of this report are available in the following .zip file. The .zip file also contains a (readme.txt) document that lists the name and title of each graphic or graphic file.

Update date: 3 May 2011.

View the original article here

School restoration costs: location matters

By Michael Ollinger, Katherine Ralston and Joanne Guthrie

Research report economic (Clerk of error-117) No. 52 pp, may 2011

Meals?31. 2 million breakfasts and 11 million of breakfasts?were more than 42 million was used on a typical day of the school in fiscal year 2009 to children by the USDA?s National School Lunch and programs of the school breakfast. Food Network (SFAs) school authorities operate local school feeding programs and deliver meals in schools. SFAs must serve the attractive meals, healthy while covering food, labour and other operating costs, a challenge which can be more difficult for some SFAs than others, due to differences in the cost per meal on sites. Analysis of data on the cost of school meals of a representative sample at the national level, great revealed that geographic variation is important. During the 2002-2003 school year, SFA in the southwest of the United States average, always had more costs restoration by meals that SFAs in other regions. Urban locations had cut costs by meal than their rural and suburban counterparts. The rates of wages and benefits, food expenditures by meals and SFA characteristic mixture of breakfasts and dinners served each contributed to the differences in fresh food services meals on sites. The importance of these factors varies by location.

Keyword (s): The national school lunch program, school breakfast, school meals, school of the cost of meals, ERS, USDA food services program

In this report...

Chapters are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format.

Graphs and charts (in .png format) of this report are available in the following .zip file. The .zip file also contains a (readme.txt) document that lists the name and title of each graphic or graphic file.

Update date: 3 May 2011.

View the original article here

Babies in child care centres receive breast milk

(Thursday, may 5, HealthDay News) - while new mothers are strongly encouraged to breastfeed their babies for at least a year, a small study of child care centres suggests that relatively few are in place to help mothers to do so.

The research conducted by doctors at Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati Children, revealed that only 12% of infants enrolled in child care centres in two counties near Cincinnati were fed milk from their motherWhile 96% of centre directors stated that they would be comfortable facilitating practice.

"We were surprised to find that despite high levels of personal comfort in the breast milk of food, only a small percentage of infants fed human milk," said study author Dr. Kristen Copeland, an assistant professor of Pediatrics at Medical Center of Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

A stone of stumbling big seems to be a lack of storage refrigerated overnight in centres for any breastfeeding pumped mothers might take care to leave, the study concluded.

"We know that the centres which are pumped to store milk from one day to the next day make it easier for women to ensure a steady supply of milk for their babies," Copeland said, "so if several centres offered storage during the night."It could increase the number of infants fed human milk. ?

The results were presented this week at a joint meeting of the Pediatric Society of companies / Asian University for pediatric research in Denver.

According to the researchers, about half of all newborns to the United States are in daycare, and 18% are in the centres.

To study, Copeland and his colleagues conducted telephone surveys with the directors of 167 childcare centres in two urban counties in southwestern Ohio. Administrators have asked how many infants are currently registered in their centres were fed breast milk pumped, how comfortable the Centre was with feed pumped breast milk, and the Centre has provided a refrigerator or freezer where mothers could store pumped breast milk during the night.

Only 26% of the said centres human milk may be kept during the night.

Three factors, enabling parents to store breast milk during the night, a primarily White inscription and a small proportion of infants receiving subsidized tuition fees, appeared to increase the chances that the babies were treated in a centre may receive milk from their motherthe researchers found.

Copeland, said that, although the study did not examine the reasons why little infants received bottles of milk pumped daycare, a lack of storage at night could be a key factor.

The low prevalence of milk breast feeding infants non-white and low income, most importantly, also could "reflect more low rates of breastfeeding initiation or limited options of women of pumping in the workplace," the authors reported.

"The findings speak for the enormous challenges facing women in power successfully breastfeed their babies,", said researcher Dr. Alison Stuebe, Assistant Professor of obstetrics and Gynecology at the school of the University of medicine at Chapel Hill North Carolina nursing.

Stuebe agreed that the differences observed between babies of poor or rich houses may be due, in part, mothers being does not able to pump during the work day. "The higher your income, it is that you have an Office with a door that you can close for twenty minutes, so you can pump," she said. "" "". If you are working in the window at the wheel of a fast-food, you do not have this possibility. ?

Centres of custody of children who want to be truly cooperative need more that simply provide storage during the night of pumped milk, noted Stuebe. "For example, it must also be a comfortable place where mothers can sit and breastfeed their baby, either at the time of lunch or when they come look at the end of the day," said.

SOURCES: Kristen Copeland, M.D., Assistant Professor, division of General and community Pediatrics, Hospital Medical Center of Cincinnati Children; Alison Stuebe, M.D., Assistant Professor, Department of obstetrics and Gynecology, division of maternal fetal medicine, University of school of medicine, North Carolina, Chapel Hill; May 1, 2011, presentation, society of companies / Asian paediatric University for pediatric research, Denver meeting

View the original article here