Jan 11, 2018
Mayo News – Andrew O’Brien
I read a piece in The Irish Times recently that discussed the level of physical ability of Irish school children. Reporting on the findings of studies carried out at DCU and UCC, the article stated that less than 50 percent of 12 to 13 year olds can throw or hit a ball and only 11 percent can skip. A similar study of preschool children found that only 2 percent could catch a ball. And while the figures are worrying, they are not that surprising. They do point to why the western world has a growing problem with childhood obesity. Kids just aren’t active. (more)
Jan 11, 2018
Volume One – Lauren Fisher
Schools, homework, holidays, shorter daylight hours, and an ever-increasing pile of essential cold-weather gear become a nearly insurmountable obstacle in the way of staying active during the winter. Adults and children alike often experience a decrease in physical activity as the cold sets in. However, there are options for every lifestyle for bringing exercise inside during the school year. (more)
Jan 10, 2018
The Herald Extra – Amy Osmond
Every parent wants to help their children to be happy and healthy, but when it comes to feeding kids fruits and vegetables, things can get tricky. Depending on their age, kids need one to two cups of fruit a day and one to three cups of vegetables. (more)
Jan 10, 2018
The Daily Mail – Unity Blott
From breakfast cereal to bowls of yoghurt, it seems there are dangerous amounts of sugars lurking everywhere. This week, Public Health England issued a stark warning about the amount of sweet stuff that youngsters consume in a bid to curb the childhood obesity crisis. The agency has recommended that children aged five to 11 eat just two low-calorie snacks a day to stop them becoming obese – amid warnings that kids are eating three times too much sugar. (more)
Jan 9, 2018
News OK – Casey Seidenberg
As a new year begins, I hear many of the typical restrictive resolutions: I will give up gluten, cut sugar, never drink again. Many parents announce they are going to do a better job restricting their kids’ intake of sugar, because this past year they were too permissive. No more soda, sugary cereal or ice cream in the house. Instead it will be all vegetables all the time. (more)
