Apr 25, 2018
Medical X-Press – Staff Writer
More and more processed products are coming on to supermarket shelves developed specifically for children. Most are designed and marketed to appeal to parents, particularly mothers, and many – despite appearing to be healthy – are in fact not. Many countries have consumer protections to ensure that commercial marketing is not misleading or deceptive. In Australia, the process largely relies on complaints being made to the body overseeing this legislation, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). (more)
Apr 25, 2018
Medical X-Press – Staff Writer
Physical activity plays a major role in children’s and young people’s health. International studies, however, show that physical activity is currently decreasing. In early years, children’s own motor competence and their physical self-concept (aka perceived motor competence) play a major part in increasing the amount of time spent on exercise. Sport scientists and psychologists at the University of Münster (Germany) have now shown how these factors interact. The study has been published in the journal Scientific Reports. (more)
Apr 24, 2018
Medical X-Press – Staff Writer
Who your daughter hangs out with at school plays a major role in her physical activity levels, according to a new University of Alberta study. “Schools, teachers and parents are not the only ones shaping the physical activity of kids. Friends—especially for girls—are also important,” said Jodie Stearns, a Ph.D. candidate in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation. (more)
Apr 24, 2018
Medical X-Press – Staff Writer
Children not only have fatigue-resistant muscles, but recover very quickly from high-intensity exercise—even faster than well-trained adult endurance athletes. This is the finding of new research published in open-access journal Frontiers in Physiology, which compared the energy output and post-exercise recovery rates of young boys, untrained adults and endurance athletes. The research could help develop athletic potential in children as well as improve our understanding of how our bodies change from childhood to adulthood—including how these processes contribute to the risk of diseases such as diabetes. (more)
Apr 23, 2018
Medical X-Press – Colleen Moriarty
Just reading the words “contagious skin diseases” can make you feel itchy all over. Pools, locker rooms, contact sports and pets all offer opportunities for your kids to catch “icky” skin conditions—such as warts, ringworm and impetigo—you’d rather they didn’t bring home. Although usually harmless, these skin diseases can be uncomfortable, and can also trigger feelings of self-consciousness. “Kids are embarrassed about warts on their hands or face, not wanting to be teased at school,” says Yale Medicine dermatologist Christopher G. Bunick, MD, Ph.D. “Similarly, the thought of a fungal infection on the skin, like with ringworm, makes many parents shudder with uneasiness. And they’re genuinely scared about the spread of any bacterial skin infection like impetigo.” (more)
