Child’s Food Allergies Take Toll on Family Plans
Two new reports show that food allergies can be a burden on a family’s finances and even its vacation plans. The studies, expected to be presented in Washington, D.C., at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, demonstrate how these common conditions can have a wide impact on a family’s quality of life. In looking at the lives of thousands of caregivers... Read more
Parents Blamed for Childhood Obesity
Children tend to eat what their parents eat, finds a new study that suggests a parental contribution to the growing obesity problem among young children and teenagers. Researchers found adolescents are more likely to eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day if their parents do. Contrarily, teens whose parents eat fast food or drink soda are more likely to do the same. Every day, more... Read more
Child food aid inadequate for nourishment: MSF
The food aid usually given to young children in developing nations is inadequate and should be replaced with products specifically designed for them, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said Tuesday. “In the current cupboard of emergency aid, there are foods that are appropriate for adults. But for young children, the foods are powders made from enriched cereals invented 30 years ago,” the leader... Read more
Preschool Lunch Doesn’t Always Pack Nutritious Punch
When parents pack their preschoolers’ lunches, they may be sacrificing nutrition by giving the children food they like. That’s one of the conclusions of a new study in the January issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. The study also found that 71 percent of packed lunches didn’t have enough fruits and vegetables, and that one in four preschool tots didn’t... Read more
Vitamin D deficiency common in diabetic kids
Children and teenagers with type 1 diabetes may have a particularly high rate of deficiency in bone-building vitamin D, a small study suggests. The findings, say researchers, underscore the importance of adequate vitamin D intake for children with type 1 diabetes — who, studies suggest, are already at particular risk for bone loss as they grow older. Among 128 children and teens with the disease,... Read more
Fast food + nearby schools = fat kids
Youth who study just a short walk from a fast-food outlet eat fewer fruit and vegetables, drink more soda and are more likely to be obese than students at other schools, according to research published Tuesday. The study, which involved more than 500,000 adolescents at middle schools and high schools in California, lends new fuel to a growing backlash against the fast-food industry as studies suggest... Read more
Your Diet After Cancer Treatment
Once you’ve completed treatment for cancer, it’s not the time to stop planning healthy meals. The American Cancer Society offers these suggestions for maintaining a healthy diet after cancer treatment: Ask you doctor if there are any foods that you should avoid. Work with a dietitian to develop a healthy and nutritious meal plan. Continue to eat at least five to seven servings of fruits... Read more
Fruits, veggies slash breast cancer risk
Certain breast cancer survivors who load up on fruits and vegetables, eating far more than current U.S. guidelines, can slash their risk the tumors will come back by nearly a third, according to a U.S. study released on Monday. The finding only held for women who did not have hot flashes after their cancer therapy, the researchers said — a finding that suggests fruits and vegetables act on estrogen. Their... Read more
FDA Panel Mulls Safety of Asthma Meds
The safety of four asthma medications will be weighed by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration expert panel as two days of hearings end Thursday. The controversy over these drugs has been going on for several years, with two FDA officials recently calling for banning the use of these drugs for anyone under 17. One expert thinks the problem is not with the drugs, but with their misuse. “This is... Read more
FDA advisers weigh risks of asthma drugs
Government health officials Wednesday publicly aired deep differences over the safety of long-acting asthma drugs and called on outside medical and scientific advisers to help settle the issue. Experts from the Food and Drug Administration’s safety office are recommending that medications like Advair and Symbicort no longer be used to treat children with asthma because of the risk of serious... Read more