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Young Girls' Social Risk Factors Link To Obesity

Girls exposed to a number of social risk factors in early childhood are significantly more likely to be obese by age 5, but young boys aren't prone to the same effects, according to a new study published online today in the journal Pediatrics.

Based on the data, girls who experienced more than one social risk factor at 1 or 3 years old were "at significantly increased odds of being obese" by the time they were 5. Girls exposed to more than two of the six social risk factors had even higher odds of being obese by age 5. However, "no significant associations were noted among boys."

Read the full Education Week article here.

 

Study: Sports Participation Does Not Guarantee That Children Get Enough Physical Activity

ScienceDaily (Dec. 9, 2010) — Only about one-fourth of children participating in organized sports -- such as baseball, softball or soccer -- receive the government-recommended amount of physical activity during team practices, according to a report posted online that will appear in the April 2011 print issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals....

Read the full article at Science Daily...

 

Up2Us Announces Major Expansion of Coach Across America

Up2Us Announces an Innovative, New AmeriCorps Program Up2Us, a network of over 300 sports based youth development (SBYD) organizations, spanning the country from Boston to Los Angeles, is thrilled to announce a Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) three-year pilot grant in the amount of $1.1 million to roll-out an innovative coaching model designed to inspire and reinvigorate a generation of Young Americans threatened by obesity and complacency. Coach Across America (CAA) is the first nationwide effort to mobilize highly trained AmeriCorps members as SBYD experts and coaches, to serve, teach and support under-resourced youth and the youth development organizations that provide programming in these vulnerable communities. Coach Across America member activities will combat childhood obesity through vigorous physical activity, play and nutrition education; discourage participation in anti-social activities by providing meaningful and attractive alternatives; and will encourage youth to stay in school by bolstering self-image, esteem and character through mentoring and participation in intentional sports programming. In the first year, youth development organizations across the nation will host the first class of 98 CFA Corps Members. The program will provide comprehensive training certifying members as SBYD experts, coaches, assistant coaches, health/nutrition leaders, camp coordinators, parent coordinators, volunteer organizers, referees and program/event planners. Together, members will impact more than 10,000 young people, and members will also engage an additional 1,000 volunteers in their activities.

One Executive Director, of an Up2Us member organization, summed up the critical situation replicating itself all over the nation, "We see kids everyday that have low-self image and little positive interaction with their peers or adults, because they basically have no opportunities to play. As a result, they start failing in school, dropping out and engaging in much riskier behavior. All it takes to change that is a trained coach and a ball." Coach Across America is primed to provide the essential, missing elements needed to bring meaningful change to our children and youth who are waiting on the sidelines: a team to call their own, a safe place to play and a coach.   Learn more at Up2Us.org

Putting on Weight for Football Glory: Is it Worth the Health Risks?

This article from the New York Times describes several recent studies indicating that youth are gaining massive amounts of weight to play football.  These young athletes are raising their risk of being morbidly obese as teens and as adults in pursuit of high achievement on the field.  Given what we know about how obesity can wreak havoc on the health of adolescents and adults, it is time to come to grips with this growing problem (no pun intended).

Read the full article in the New York Times.