A collaborative study abroad program (between one New Zealand and one U.S. university) on the theme of global health has been offered three times in Australia with 59 students registered to date. The course was developed because it is believed that higher education can play a role in improving global health through the fostering of global…

By now, we are all aware of the effect of super-sized food portions. Very young children regulate their food intake by internal cues (when they feel full) rather than by portion size. As children age, external cues have more influence than internal cues. Hence, larger portion sizes promote more energy intake in older children, leading to caloric…

Childhood obesity has reached epidemic levels in developed countries and is showing no signs of abating. The causes of obesity in adolescence are extremely complex, and therefore approaches to prevention and treatments must be multifaceted. Early adolescence is a developmental period when youth are becoming more independent, are influenced by…

A new dialogue-based curriculum combines nutrition, active play and parenting practices to help parents and caregivers gain skills that promote healthy habits for themselves and their families and to create healthy environments where children live, learn, and play. Graduates report significant improvements in behaviors that promote healthy weights…

Community organizing brings Latina/o families together to enhance repertoires of culturally relevant practices to promote health and curriculum. The Healthy Schools Campaign, a 4-year environmental justice partnership between public health researchers and Latina/o organizations in 2 neighborhoods of Chicago, was formed to confront the epidemics of…

Saturating the Canadian landscape are media and health industry discourses representing childhood physical "(in)activity" and "obesity" as being at "epidemic" proportion. Increasingly identified as a focus of concern within such representations is the school setting, simultaneously positioned both as a cause of…

NASPE recommends children ages 5-12 accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day of the week. With the growing occurrence of obesity in the United States, it is clear that too many of America's youth are not meeting the recommended amount of daily physical activity. Given that America's youth are having…

World Diabetes Day (November 14) offers a wonderful opportunity to educate elementary children about the power they have to control their health. First lady Michelle Obama has urged Americans to educate themselves about childhood obesity, which is often associated with the onset of type II diabetes (Rabin 2010). The authors developed activities to…

Obesity, poor health, and limited physical activity are major health concerns. The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) improves the health and well-being of limited resource families and youth. Additionally, EFNEP leads to public savings. Research shows that better health is associated with reduced health care costs, less…

Weight-related problems, including eating disorders, disordered eating, and obesity, are prevalent among adolescents. School and community-based educators and health care providers have an important role to play in the prevention of weight-related problems in youth. This article includes: 1) a brief overview of weight-related problems in…

Describes the Lose to Win Program, a weight loss program for third, fourth and fifth grade students. The program included nutrition education, exercise, and improving the self concept, and involved the use of rewards, and support of parents and school staff. (JAC)

Describes how metaphors can be used in a weight control approach to: (1) uncover underlying feelings; (2) reveal hidden solutions; (3) create an aversion to undesirable intakes; (4) provide the client with a thin self-concept; and (5) increase compliance. Provides examples to demonstrate these uses. (Author/RC)

A school-based diet program for learning disabled children stresses modifying eating behavior by learning alternative ways of interacting with the environment. Techniques stress the importance of self regulation, strategies for self monitoring, the establishment of realistic weight goals, use of stimulus control procedures, increased physical…

Describes a weight reduction and control program for obese retarded preschool children involving parent leaders and incorporating social and tangible rewards. Discusses techniques children practice daily for a total of 15 weeks. (RH)

It's no secret that America's youth are now more out of shape than ever before. Study after study documents the sad saga of childhood obesity. Quick-fix remedies such as "Atkins for Kids" and child-friendly aerobics classes are proliferating. There are fat camps for kids and low-fat "candy." Still, an inescapable fact remains: As a nation, and…