How Food Packaging Tricks Kids Into Thinking Junk Food Is Healthy
A new study looked at how children judge whether packaged foods are healthy based on what the package looks like. Researchers found that kids with impulsive …
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All content tagged with "childhood obesity"
Does Being Overweight Cause Cavities in Kids' Baby Teeth?
Researchers in Brazil followed over 3,300 children from birth to age four to see if overweight or obese children got more cavities than children at a healthy …
Read MoreYour Child's Gut Bacteria May Predict Weight Loss Success
Researchers studied 41 children with obesity to see if the bacteria living in their stomachs could predict whether a weight loss program would work for them. …
Read MoreCan a Website Help Kids with Weight Problems? New Study Shows Promise
Researchers tested a new online program called Dynamo Kids to help families with children who struggle with weight. The program was offered at a safety-net …
Read MoreMediterranean Diet Helps Kids Lose Weight and Body Fat
Researchers looked at 18 studies involving 1,539 children and teens to see if eating a Mediterranean diet (lots of vegetables, fruits, fish, and olive oil) …
Read MoreGetting Families Involved Helps Kids Eat Better and Move More
Researchers in China tested whether a special program could help families support their children in developing healthier eating and exercise habits. They …
Read MoreAncient Chinese Herb Mix Shows Promise for Fighting Childhood Obesity
Researchers tested a traditional Chinese herbal mixture called Dahuang Huanglian Xiexin Decoction (DHXD) to see if it could help with obesity. Using computer …
Read MoreWhole Grains Help Kids Stay Leaner, New Study Shows
Researchers studied nearly 50,000 Chinese children to understand how eating whole grains affects body fat. They found that kids who ate more whole grains like …
Read MoreYour Gut Bacteria May Be Key to Fighting Childhood Obesity
Scientists are discovering that the bacteria living in your digestive system might play a bigger role in childhood obesity than we thought. This research …
Read MoreWhat Chinese Preschoolers Eat Affects Their Growth and Health
Researchers studied what 1,383 preschool children in southern China ate and how it connected to their growth and blood nutrient levels. They found that most …
Read MoreKids Eat Like Their Moms: Why Family Food Habits Matter
A new study looked at 70 families in South Korea to understand how similar children's eating habits are to their mothers' eating habits. Researchers found that …
Read MoreFree Produce Helps Kids Eat Healthier and Feel Better
Researchers tested whether giving families free fresh vegetables and fruits could help kids stay healthier. They studied 150 children from low-income families …
Read MoreWhy Some Kids in Bangladesh Struggle More With Weight
Researchers in Bangladesh looked at why childhood weight problems aren't equally distributed across different communities. Using data analysis techniques, they …
Read More1 in 3 Kids in New Zealand at Risk for Prediabetes
Researchers in New Zealand checked 276 children ages 11-13 to see how many were at risk for prediabetes, a condition where blood sugar levels start getting too …
Read MoreJunk Food May Hurt Heart Health More in Kids With a Specific Gene
Researchers studied 258 young children to understand how different eating patterns affect heart and metabolic health, especially in kids who carry a particular …
Read MoreExercise Plus Healthy Eating Reduces Body Inflammation in Kids
Researchers looked at 50 different studies to understand how exercise combined with healthy eating affects inflammation in overweight and obese children and …
Read MoreOverweight Kids May Have Hidden Blood Problems
Researchers discovered that children who are overweight are more likely to have iron deficiency anemia—a condition where the body doesn't have enough healthy …
Read MoreCan Kids Really Eat Heart-Healthy Foods? Here's What Science Shows
Researchers looked at dozens of studies about whether kids and teens can actually eat healthier foods to protect their hearts. The good news: yes, they can! …
Read MoreHow a 9-Week Diet Plan Helped Overweight Kids Get Healthier
Researchers in Poland tested whether helping kids eat better could improve their health. Sixty-eight children aged 7-12 who weighed more than they should …
Read MoreWhat Your Kid Eats Early On Affects Their Health for Years
Researchers looked at 14 long-term studies tracking what children ate from infancy through adulthood to see how eating habits affect health later in life. They …
Read MoreCan a Phone App Help Kids Stay Healthy and Active?
Childhood obesity affects about 1 in 5 kids worldwide, and researchers think smartphone apps could help families make healthier choices about food and …
Read MoreCan Ancient Herbal Remedies Help Kids Lose Weight?
Childhood obesity is becoming a serious problem worldwide, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic when kids spent more time on screens and eating unhealthy …
Read MoreSpecial Fiber Helps Kids' Brains and Guts Work Better Together
Scientists discovered that a type of fiber called inulin may help children with obesity by improving communication between their gut and brain. In a 6-month …
Read MoreOnline Weight Loss Program Helps Kids in Low-Income Families
Researchers tested a new online program called JOIN for ME designed to help kids ages 6-12 who are overweight. The program worked with families from low-income …
Read MoreWhy Kids in the Middle East Need More Play Time and Less Screen Time
Researchers looked at studies from countries in the Middle East and North Africa to understand how much kids exercise, how much time they spend on screens, and …
Read MoreWhat Kids' Urine Reveals About Sweeteners and Weight
Researchers studied 500 Dutch children and teenagers to understand how artificial sweeteners and sugars relate to obesity. Instead of asking kids what they ate …
Read MoreWhy Blood Pressure Matters More Than Weight for Teen Heart Health
Researchers studied 245 overweight teenagers in China to understand how their body measurements and blood pressure affect their heart health. They used …
Read MoreWhy Kids in Mediterranean Countries Eat Too Much Junk Food
Researchers surveyed over 2,000 parents in five Mediterranean countries to understand why children and teenagers eat so much unhealthy ultra-processed …
Read MoreTraining School Nurses Helps Fight Teen Obesity
Researchers in Tunisia tested whether a special training program could help school nurses better prevent obesity in teenagers. They taught 95 school nurses …
Read MoreCan Ancient Chinese Treatments Help Kids Lose Weight?
Researchers looked at studies about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatments for overweight children. They reviewed three major studies that included 68 …
Read MoreJunk Food Linked to Weight Gain in Kids and Teens
A major study following nearly 5,000 German children and teenagers for 11 years found that eating more ultra-processed foods (like packaged snacks, sugary …
Read MoreWhat Kids With Asthma and Extra Weight Should Eat
Researchers studied 100 children to understand how food choices affect asthma, especially in kids who are overweight or obese. They found that the types of …
Read MoreNew Way to Spot Different Types of Obesity in Kids
Researchers used advanced computer programs to discover that children and teenagers with obesity aren't all the same. By studying over 1,700 young people from …
Read MoreHow Extra Body Fat Changes Blood Cells in Kids
Scientists studied blood samples from 71 children and teenagers to understand how having too much body fat affects the tiny proteins inside blood cells. They …
Read MoreEven Healthy Obese Kids May Need B12 Checks
Researchers studied 296 obese children and 138 healthy children to see if being metabolically healthy (having good blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure …
Read MoreWhat Around Us Makes Kids Gain Weight? A Big Review
Scientists looked at 81 studies from 2020-2025 to understand how the food environment around children affects their weight. The food environment includes …
Read MoreDoes Early Puberty Treatment Affect Weight in Boys?
Researchers studied 80 boys who received treatment to slow down early puberty to see how it affected their weight. The treatment, called GnRHa, works by …
Read MoreKids' Weight Stayed About the Same During COVID, But Exercise Still Matters
Researchers looked at how kids' weights changed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic using data from thousands of American children ages 2 to 19. They found …
Read MoreWhy Ultra-Processed Foods Are Harming Kids' Health
A new comprehensive review shows that ultra-processed foods—like packaged snacks, sugary cereals, and fast food—make up about two-thirds of what American …
Read MoreNepal's Kids Face Two Nutrition Problems at Once
Researchers in Nepal discovered something surprising: some schoolchildren don't have enough food to eat and grow properly, while others eat too much and gain …
Read MoreWeight Loss Programs for Young Kids: Do They Really Work Long-Term?
Researchers looked at 34 studies involving nearly 7,000 children under 10 who were overweight. They wanted to see if programs that combine healthy eating, …
Read MoreVitamin D Shows Promise for Treating Fatty Liver Disease in Kids
Scientists reviewed 26 studies involving over 1,500 children with fatty liver disease to see which medications work best. They found that vitamin D was the top …
Read MoreEarly Life Factors That May Lead to Childhood Obesity Found in Major Study
Researchers looked at nearly 2 million children to find what happens in the first 1000 days of life that might lead to obesity later. They found seven key …
Read MoreCommunity Support Helps Moms Fight Child Stunting and Obesity Together
Researchers looked at 36 studies to find the best ways to help mothers prevent both stunting (being too short) and obesity in their children at the same time. …
Read MoreParent Training Programs Don't Prevent Obesity in Toddlers, Major Study Finds
A large study combining data from 17 trials and nearly 9,400 children found that parent-focused programs designed to prevent childhood obesity don't work as …
Read MoreSpecial Program Helps Native American Kids Fight Diabetes Risk
Researchers tested a special program called Tribal Turning Point to help Native American children who were overweight avoid getting type 2 diabetes. The study …
Read MoreWhy Some Kids Get Multiple Sclerosis: Genes and Environment Both Matter
Scientists are studying why some children develop multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that affects the brain and nervous system. They've found that kids who get …
Read MoreMost Kids Don't Follow Daily Movement Rules That Keep Them Healthy
Scientists looked at research from around the world to see how well kids aged 5-17 follow daily movement guidelines. These guidelines include getting enough …
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