Mar 19, 2020
Medical X-Press – Staff Writer
Two new studies from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden underscore health risks associated with childhood obesity. Children with obesity have a three times higher risk of mortality in early adulthood compared with children in the general population and are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression. The findings, published in PLOS Medicine and BMC Medicine, highlight the need to identify specific risk factors for children with obesity and find preventative tools, according to the researchers.
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Mar 18, 2020
KQED News Mind/Shift – Linda Flanagan
It’s no mystery that exercise boosts mental health and cognitive function in kids. A nine-month study of children aged seven through nine found that kids who were active could think more clearly. A March 2020 report published in Lancet found that 12-, 14- and 16-year-olds who exercised regularly were less likely to develop depression by age 18. Brain scans of 20-year-olds revealed that active young adults have better recall and thinking ability. The relationship between movement and brain health is so clear that the World Health Organization recommends an hour a day of moderate exercise for kids aged 5 through 17. Though most children in the United States get far less than that, regular recess and athletic teams provide at least some built-in movement for many children.
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Mar 18, 2020
The Conversation – Mirae J. Fornander
Families everywhere are adjusting to a new way of life due to social distancing measures like closed schools, workplaces, and more. Given that anxiety was already among the most common mental health problem in kids before the COVID-19 pandemic, what can parents do to help keep this problem at bay?
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Mar 17, 2020
Medical X-Press – Staff Writer
You’ve surely seen them many times—those folks who scurry past the sink after using a public toilet or give their hands no more than a quick, soap-free rinse. These days, that’s risking public shame and disease. The rapid spread of coronavirus around the world has underscored the importance of washing your hands frequently and doing it right.
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Mar 17, 2020
Medical X-Press – Steinar Brandslet
There are plenty of good reasons to make sure children get enough sleep, but their parents’ evening peace is nowhere near the most important one. “If we make sure our children get enough sleep, it can help protect them from mental health problems,” says Bror M. Ranum, a Ph.D. candidate at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s (NTNU) Department of Psychology.
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