The shape of things

Hope everyone had a great and relaxing weekend. Here are some interesting articles I've found in the health-news world that I thought you may be interested in:

Don't use the D word to overweight teens - a new study found that teens who are overweight and are told to "diet" or who are teased by family and friends resort to eating disorder tactics like bingeing and purging. The researchers suggested that parents of overweight children should not tell their kids to diet since it's a stigmatizing word - instead they should promote a balanced lifestyle and start cooking some healthy family meals.

Confused about what to eat to lower cancer risk? Read this! - Self put together a list of tried and true foods that will lower your cancer risk (and won't change every other month with new research). Want to lower your risk? Eat HIGH fiber anything, a lot of Vitamin D and calcium and cruciferous veggies (like broccoli, brussel sprouts and kale).

Which jobs rank highest in rates of depression? Child care workers and elderly-care workers. Coming in at a close second is food-service workers. Another interesting finding was that those people who worked full time (in any industry) were less likely to be depressed. Read the article for some more interesting information.

We've all heard time and time again about how television watching of young children could be harmful to their behavioral and social skills. A new study in the journal Pediatrics found that children between the ages of 2.5-5.5 years who watch more than 2 hours of television a day were more likely to develop sleep, attention, and aggressive behavior problems than those who watched less.

I believe, even without research findings, that it's common sense that a child should not spend the majority of his time at home in front of the tv. Kids are awake and at home from school for about 4-5 hours and if more than half of that is spent watching television, it leaves little time for homework, dinner, family time, and PLAY! 

That's why when I heard on Saturday Night Live that Nickelodeon is having a turn off the TV and go play outside day I was intrigued (of course the ever-hilarious Seth Myers said "because children need to get their three hours of exercise for the year") 

Regardless, the premise is that Nickelodeon will not air any programming for three hours on Saturday beginning at noon eastern time. It's a part of their fourth annual worldwide day of play.  

I say, "Bravo Nickelodeon." Yes, their never-ending lineup of children programming could be a huge part of this growing childhood obesity epidimic, but even if just for one day a year they give a shout out that says to kids, "TV isn't everything" I find that awesome.  Because, honestly, to Nickelodeon - TV is everything - but by being a socially responsible media company it sends a message that they don't want to sit back and watch the nation get fat.

So this Saturday, take a cue from Nickelodeon. If you have kids or not, starting at about noon get outside and enjoy the cooler weather and spend some time playing. Have fun. 

I'm a sucker for good advertising - I admit it. Having two degrees in Mass Communication has definitely taught me to be a better consumer and media critic, but when an advertising dept. does a good job, it does not go unnoticed in my book.

That's why I've consistently loved Nike's advertising to women athletes. I could name numerour Nike Ads targeted at young women - The Mia Hamm/Michael Jordan Anything You can do I can do better - The Maria Sharapova I feel Pretty Ad (and the list could go on).

So when I read an article today in New York Times about a new commercial that puts women back on the pedastal and in front of a HUGE megaphone (figuratively and literally) I was thrilled. The article includes a clip of the ad and it's pretty neat. They have all the gals there (Gabrielle Reece and Mia Hamm to name a few) and they yell in to the megaphone what it means to be female and to be athlete.

Some of the female athletes are interviewed by the NY Times reporter and the consensus seems to be that women's sports is slowly falling off the radar and that less and less young girls are getting involved. That's a sad story.  

Perhaps I'm turning to this topic too often, but it saddens me that the same fervor and excitement that surrounded women's sports when I was growing up is being overshadowed today by Lindsay Lohan's rehab stint.

Perhaps with the summer olympics coming up in 2008, women's sports will get its much-needed attention. But on a much smaller level all of us can do our part to make sure we encourage and nurture young female athletes. If you have a talent in a sport, go coach a youth-league team, if you're not talented or don't have that time - then encourage your kids and your friends/family kids to get involved in youth sports and go out there and cheer them on!

This may sound really cheesy, but one of the main reasons I never smoked (EVER) is because when I was young I found this poster of all the gals on the gold-medal U.S. women's soccer team and it said something to the effect that you can't play soccer and smoke. So basically you need to choose. I chose soccer. 

Crocs craze has hit America by storm. If you don't know about these plastic shoes, you've probably been living under a rock. The craze has also affected kids who wear these shoes everywhere! WebMd talked to some doctors of podiatric medicine and school principles about the safety of these shoes.

Jenifer Garner's cute little daughter sports the crocs trend. (Source)

They talk about where kids should wear crocs - and more importantly where they should not. If you're a mom or if you know some croc-loving kids, you may want to pass this article on to make sure your little ones are wearing the proper footwear.

So where should they and shouldn't they be worn?

Activity OK for Crocs?

Gym Class No

Hiking No

Walking to and from class Yes

Recess No

Going to the beach Yes

Going to the pool Yes

After-school sports No

Boating Yes

Walking on a cold winter day No

 

A few months ago I was talking with a friend about role models in the media - specifically body image role models. We were reminiscing about how when we were in our early teens the women we looked up to and wanted to look like and act like were strong, physically fit women athletes. Both of us played sports, so maybe we were in the minority, but I have a feeling we were not.

In 1996 the summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, Georgia. I was 13 that summer and remember being especially interested in the women athletes - go team USA, right? When I was that age I saw women like Mia Hamm, Brandi Chastain, Kerri Strug, and Lindsay Davenport and I wanted to grow up to be just like them. I realized that I wouldn't necessarily be a gold-medal winning soccer player, but I wanted that body, the attitude, the lifestyle.

What a great set of women to look up to, right?

 

I feel like today, girls who are 13 look up to the wrong women as a body-image role model. They think that Jessica Alba is "curvy" and that Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie have beautiful bodies. It makes me sick. They see crazy women like Britney and Lindsay Lohan going to rehab, leaving rehab, going to jail, snorting coke...

Maybe because I played sports I didn't pay attention to the celebrities in 1996 who were doing all those above things (eating disorders, prison, cocaine) or maybe most young girls were like me and wanted to be a strong and confident woman.  

It's time that we encourage young girls to aspire to be fit, healthy, athletic and strong. We need to show them (we as their mothers, aunts, teachers, mentors, or friends) that the number on the scale doesn't matter and that strength and confidence will get you somewhere wonderful in life. Whether that's on the Olympic Podium, or just not in rehab - doesn't really matter - what matters is that their role models be like my role models when I was 13. 

Thank you to all those women and the many other who had the courage to compete, to win and to inspire.  

A new study was recently published that found that children who were given food (food from fries to carrots) that were in a McDonald's wrapper thought it tasted better than food not wrapped in the golden arches. Interesting. Or is it? The researchers blame marketing. They say that McDonald's unfairly targets children - who are vulnerable - and could be another reason for the increase in childhood obesity.

McDonald's spokesman says that's not the case. In fact, he points out the recent efforts of the huge Shrek promotion that encouraged kids to eat more vegetables and fruits. He also says that the only advertising McDonalds does to children is for the Happy Meal - which he says is well rounded and only 375 calories total. (Good point).

As a kid, there was something about McDonalds that was just so alluring. Maybe it was all the fatty foods or maybe the cuddly characters (remember the hamburglar?) It's been almost 20 years since those days, and I'm pretty sure that McDonalds retired those lovable characters a long time ago - if not they have in their tv advertising.

Recently I was in the gym locker room changing for my workout and the TV was tuned in to Nickelodeon. I wasn't really paying attention until the commercials came on and every kid in the room seemed to be glued to the TV. I sighed, thinking "what's going to happen with this generation when they become adults"... and then something incredible happened. Every single commercial played during that break was about either being active, exercising, eating healthy, and getting enough fruits and vegetables. I was floored!

So maybe despite this study that found that McFood is better than normal food, marketing to children has improved since I was a kid. Yes, corporations still want kids to plead and beg their parents for the products they sell, but by being socially concious and ethical in their advertising they've cut back on the endless stream of sugary treats and cereals that I remember.

Of course that commercial break on Nickelodeon I saw could have been a fluke, just a one time healthy break, but if not, that's great news.

I read this article today in the New York Times about gyms targeting teenagers. I posted about a similar topic about a month ago - kids using personal trainers - and was appalled by the idea. But this new article presents teenage fitness in a different - better - light.

Gyms across the country are trying to tap the teenage market - the elusive "Myspace" Generation - by creating classes tailored to teens, juice bars to hang out in, internet cafes, virtual reality fitness machines and rock climbing walls. One gym in California - Overtime Fitness - opened its doors only to teenagers initially. They have since allowed adult memberships (due to low memberships of teens) but they still have areas that are "teen-only."

The gyms claim that unlike adults, teens want a place to hang out and feel like a part of the group. Adults want to go to the gym and get out. So gyms are starting to add cafes and internet hang out areas so teens can - well - linger.

I have a degree (about to be two degrees) in mass communication which means I've taken quite a few courses in advertising. I understand the need to "target your audience" and give them what they think they want. But there's something about this "linger" notion that I don't get. In the article one of the trainers was saying he has to "peel the teens off the computer screens" to get them to work out. So while it's great that they're at "the gym" it makes no difference if they are there or if they were at home, they're doing the same thing - CHECKING FACEBOOK!!

I love that these gyms offer rock climbing walls and virtual tennis, boxing and every other virtual sport you can imagine. These things are active and a lot of fun. They are also pretty competitive so it allows the teens to "feel like a part of the group."  

I don't like that the gyms feel like the only way to get teens in the door is to set up computers all over the place. Yes you may wants teens to linger at your facility - but you want them lingering on the rock wall or in the fun teen-filled spin class. If I were a parent I'd be wary of spending $50 a month for my kid to go somewhere to play on the Web. On the other hand, I'd happily spend that much (or more) to get my children excited about fitness.

Hopefully these gyms and other gyms trying to reach out to teens won't just hang on to this messed up idea that the only way to get them to come is to give them free Internet. These kids have iphones for God's sake, they can check facebook on there if they need to. We need to re-focus on giving them a fun and active environment where they can burn calories while having fun and start a lifestyle of fitness that will carry on into adulthood. 

A new study found that parenthood decreases physical activity significantly - losing (on average) 3.5 hours of exercise after having children! While I find this interesting, another aspect of the article really caught my eye.

"Too many Americans have an all-or-nothing mentality toward fitness, said Dr. Harvey B. Simon, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. If they can’t find a 45-minute window to bike, they don’t substitute by strapping on a BabyBjörn and taking a stroll."

I love and totally agree with this statement. At what point did we get in the mindset that in order to exercise we have to have at least an hour to go to the gym. This goes hand in hand with my post from earlier in the week about "sneaking" in exercise throughout the day.

In order to live a fit lifestyle we need to get in the habit of not making "exercise a habit." Does that make sense? Basically, exercise and activity shouldn't be a chore, and shouldn't only take place in a gym or on a track or in a pool. We can go for a walk after dinner with our spouse, or do yoga before bed or play kickball with the kids. These are all forms of physical activity and they're great.

The study also talks about how kids can become a "cop out" for not having time for exercise. If you have a friend (or if you do this) that has children and you constantly hear her say that she doesn't have time for exercise or physical activity, please refer her to this article. And tell her to put that baby in a stroller and the two of you can go on a nice, long walk. Enjoy! 

My all-time favorite columnist, Chris Rose, wrote a wonderful piece a few days ago about the lack of quality playgrounds for children in New Orleans. He tried taking his children to several playgrounds that had only one piece of equipment and over-grown grass and were quickly deemed "boring" by his kids. He heard about a company named Kaboom! that donated money and resources to build dynamic playgrounds for children in the hurricane-devastated communities. When Mr. Rose tried to bring his kids to one of the new "Kaboom!" playgrounds, they found them locked and chained (on a Saturday during the summer!!). This prompted him to write a very interesting and witty (like always) piece on how the children of New Orleans have nowhere open to play. That's a very sad thing.

The column brought back great memories of going to the park when I was a kid and sliding down that impossibly tall slide that made you go so fast you thought you were flying. It reminded me of all the summers we spent outdoors playing pirates, orphaned children and boxcar kids (yeah, like the children's book series). It reminded me of riding our bikes around the neighborhood pretending to be on horses (or unicorns). Ah, it was so fun. And the best part was that we were outside, using our imagination, sweating up a storm, and getting tons of physical activity.

I don't have kids - but I've worked at several day camps and it seems to me that a lot of today's children aren't playing outside as much. They have so much to occupy them indoors - video games, tv, internet, myspace (eek), etc. - that the art of playing outdoors and coming up with elaborate ways to keep yourself entertained all summer is completely lost on that generation.

And then I read this article about children (as young as 6!!) getting personal fitness trainers to help them lose weight, get fit, and "gain balance" WHAT?!? Yes, our kids are overweight, and yes, we need them to be active and fit... but outsourcing our children to gym trainers seems outrageously ridiculous and so "American."

Why can't these parents encourage their kids to go outside, ride bikes, go swimming, take up a recreational sport, throw a ball with them outside? I know they might be busy, but are you so busy that you can watch your child eat themselves into obesity??

It all coincides. Because then you have fathers like Mr. Rose, who really wants his kids to play outside, use their imagination and go wild, but unfortunately due to the idiocy that is New Orleans politics, his kids are limited to lame under-kept parks.

And so goes the cycle. We need to end it. We need to make sure every child has access to incredible and safe parks. We need to give them some outlet where they can be fit without going to a personal trainer! We need to encourage our kids to use their imaginations and have fun outdoors even if they don't have a Kaboom! park. We need to make sure our kids know that being active isn't a chore (like going to the gym to be with your trainer) but that it's a part of life. And it's a fun part of life. We need to go outside with the kids, and teach them "balance" on our own.

They're not going to be children forever, and the values you instill in them now will last a lifetime. So come home early from work, don't go to the gym, stop going to happy hour drinks, don't sign up for another professional association and GET HOME and PLAY WITH YOUR KIDS.

I found some interesting health-related articles today. I'll post briefly about a few of them:

1. Doctors now say that there are symptoms that point to ovarian cancer (in the past they thought you couldn't detect the cancer until later stages). If you or any of our loved ones experience these symptoms daily for a few weeks, please go to the doctor. Read an article about it.

Experts say these health problems may be symptoms of ovarian cancer:

• Bloating
• Pelvic or abdominal pain
• Difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
• Feeling a frequent or urgent need to urinate

2. This past weekend a teenager died of an overdose of muscle cream - the scariest part is that she didn't ingest it orally, she just used too much on her leg muscles following a grueling cross country training regime. Some doctors and experts are urging the FDA to require "BenGay" and "IcyHot" to have stronger labels that warn of this overdose (this is the first death they've ever documented from muscle cream). Currently the labels only say to stop using them if "condition worsens or symptoms persist for more than seven days." Read about it here.

 

3. An expert panel calls for pediatricians to stop using "fuzzy language" with obese children. The panel made recommendations that children and their family should be told that they have a medical condition and it is called obesity and the doctors should work with the families to help the children get to a healthy weight.

I agree. We need to stop sugar-coating this epidemic. If kids and their parents aren't told of the risks involved of being obese, they will continue to be obese into adulthood - most likely. This paragraph from the article was pretty shocking:

• "About 17 percent of U.S. children are obese and one-third are overweight, using the committee's recommended definitions. Those numbers are rising, putting children at risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol problems and other ailments more commonly found in adults" Read the article here.

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