The Independent – Richard Jenkins
British parents will let their children consume up to five times as much sugar during the summer holidays as they would any other time of the year, according to a new poll. A survey of 1,000 parents with children aged two to 17 found sugar intake will significantly increase during the school break. (more)
Science Daily – Staff Writer
Researchers show that children and adolescents who spend most of their time barefoot develop motor skills differently from those who habitually wear shoes. Published in Frontiers in Pediatrics, this is the first study to assess the relevance of growing up shod vs. barefoot on jumping, balancing and sprinting motor performance during different stages of childhood and adolescence. Results suggest that regular physical activity without shoes may improve children’s and adolescents’ balancing and jumping skills. (more)
Medical X-Press – Staff Writer
Teenagers are less likely to be overweight if their mum or dad had a positive attitude during pregnancy, a new study by the University of Bristol and Emory University revealed today. Using answers from more than 7000 parents who took part in the Children of the 90s longitudinal study about their personality, mood and attitude during pregnancy; similar answers from their children at age of eight and the child’s fat mass measurement up to the age of 17, researchers have assessed that a mother’s psychological background during pregnancy is a factor associated with teenage weight gain. (more)
Medical X-Press – Melissa Healy
Mothers lead the way for their children. And new research finds that the paths that moms walk (or the couches they sit and smoke on) make a powerful difference in their children’s propensity to become obese. A study that tracked close to 17,000 female nurses and their 24,289 kids has found that women who practiced five healthy habits—maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, eating a nutritious diet, consuming no more than moderate quantities of alcohol and not smoking cigarettes—had adolescents that were 75 percent less likely to be very overweight than the children of moms who practiced none of those healthy habits. (more)
The Globe and Mail – Leslie Beck
Water is critical to athletic performance. It regulates body temperature, allows muscles to contract and helps the bloodstream deliver oxygen to body tissues. In kids, losing 1 per cent of their body weight due to dehydration has been shown to have detrimental effects on performance. (In adults, performance can suffer at a loss of 2 per cent of their body weight.) The key to preventing dehydration during sports is knowing how much – and what – to drink before, during and after exercise. And when exercising in hot weather, extra careful monitoring of fluid intake is crucial. (more)