A study published in the June issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine adds to the growing body of literature investigating the genetics of obesity by linking those so-called “obesity genes” to rapid childhood growth and adult obesity. Researchers understand that obesity and other weight-related health conditions can be inherited, and numerous studies have attempted to find the specific genes, or pieces of genetic code, which might contribute to these conditions. This new study, conducted in New Zealand,Continued
Pediatrics
Premature Births Still a Problem at Home
Preterm births are often thought of as a rare problem, but a recent report shows this is not the case at all – with one in 10 babies born prematurely worldwide. Born to Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth, which was released last week, is the first-ever to estimate premature birth rates individually by country. While the majority of premature babies are born in low-income countries – namely sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia – some high-income countries seeContinued
Why Your Kids Should Turn Off the Television
We all know that excessive television viewing does not fit in to a healthy, active lifestyle, but now a new study gives us more reasons to turn off the tube, especially when it comes to our children. A new study published in Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine notes that television-watching appears to be linked to a less-healthy diet in children. This study found that when students in 5th through 10th grades watched television, they were less likely to eatContinued
Opiate Abuse on the Rise, Newborns Suffer
Abuse of prescriptions drugs is on the rise, and a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association is the first to shed light on the effects of this trend on newborns. Researchers found that opiate use among pregnant women increased five-fold between 2000 and 2009; newborns diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) increased three-fold in the same time period. NAS can occur in infants exposed to opiates in utero, and is characterized by seizures, breathing difficulties,Continued