10 secrets to making easy and quick weeknight dinners for kids

USA Today – Brigitt Earley

During the week, when my days are a mad rush to wake up, drop my son at daycare, put in a day’s worth of work, then get dinner on the table before he totally loses it, a quick and easy dinner is not just preferred, it’s essential. Giving my family real food every night is so important to me, but I just can’t afford to spend all evening doing so. Unfortunately, recipes aren’t always what they promise to be. (more)

Vitamin D supplements may promote weight loss in obese children

Medical X-Press – Staff Writer

Vitamin D supplements may promote weight loss and reduce risk factors for future heart and metabolic disease in overweight and obese children, according to research presented today at the 57th Annual European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology Meeting. These findings indicate that simple vitamin D supplementation may be part of an effective strategy to tackle childhood obesity and reduce the risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease, in adulthood. (more)

A growing problem: Why are childhood obesity rates climbing?

The Washington Times-Herald – Haley Church

It’s not a regular topic of conversation. In fact, most parents would rather shy away from the subject altogether. But the rate of obese and overweight children continues to rise — whether we want to talk about it or not. Indiana has the ninth highest obesity rate for youth ages 10 to 17, according to the newly released 2018 State of Obesity Report, and that number continues to grow. (more)

Only Five Percent of U.S. Kids are Sleeping, Exercising and Away From Screens for Long Enough, and it’s Affecting Their Brains

Newsweek – Abbey Interrante

Children look at screens for too long every day, and don’t exercise and sleep enough, and it’s affecting their cognitive ability, researchers have said in a new report. Researchers at the University of Ottawa, Carleton University, and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute studied how many children are following recommended, screen time, exercise, and sleep guidelines. Published on Wednesday in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, the study showed that most U.S. children aren’t meeting the recommendations and it could be affecting their cognition. (more)

Your child’s brainpower is linked to these 3 important factors, says study

Motherly – Emily Glover

Overall health, especially for growing children, really is a sum of the parts. Some days are marked by nonstop activity. Others are marked by a bit more than the recommended amounts of screen time. Some days bedtime comes early. Others are spent staying up late to catch fireflies and watch the stars come out. (more)