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September
Physically fit children do better in school
There may be a correlation between physical fitness and
classroom abilities in children, a new report finds. "We have found a strong
relationship between academic achievement and fitness scores," says Darla
Castelli, one of the studies authors.
Researches conducted a series of studies with school-aged children and
control groups of adults. Data were gathered on subjects' physical
attributes (height, weight, body mass), fitness levels and cognitive
abilities. Researches measured the physical fitness of 500 third-, fourth-
and fifth-graders, including aerobic capacity, flexibility and muscle
fitness. Cognitive function was determined by analyzing scores on
standardized academic performance test, and by observing and measuring
neuroelectric and behavioral responses to stimulus discrimination tasks.
Results were presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Psycho
physiological Research in Santa Fe, N.M., in October 2004.
Source: Fitness
Management, August 2005
August
Childhood Obesity is one of
the most serious public health problems today. Similar to U.S. adults, the
number of overweight children and adolescents has nearly quadrupled, from
less than 5 percent in the 1980s to more than 16 percent today. Overweight
children are at increased risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure,
high cholesterol and social isolation.
Source: Vitality
Magazine, August 2005
July
Ten Healthiest Restaurants for Families
Getting the entire family together for a meal out is
difficult enough. Finding a restaurant that offers healthy options is the
next challenge. Child magazine looked at more than 125 restaurants to
determine which ones had the healthiest choices. According to the magazine's
website, the project took 5 months to complete and each menu was reviewed by
five nutrition experts. Is your favorite one on the list?
1. Legal Sea Foods
2. Mimi's Cafe
3. Red Lobster
4. The Melting Pot
5. The Old Spaghetti Factory
6. Benihana
7. Ruby Tuesday
8. Chili's Bar & Grill
9. Elephant Bar Restaurant
10. (tie) Bertucci's
10. (tie) Chevys Fresh Mex
Source: Child.com
June
Children exposed to secondhand smoke daily
have 3.6 times the risk of developing
lung cancer later in life as those who grow up in smoke-free homes.
Children who breathe secondhand smoke a few times a week are 1.5 times more
likely to develop lung cancer, according to a study published in the British
Medical Journal. In one of the most comprehensive studies of its kind on
passive smoking, researchers looked at 303,020 people who had never smoked,
or who stopped smoking for at least 10 years.
Source: Vitality Magazine
June 2005
May
Kids in the classroom: just monkeying around?
The theory that girls and boys learn differently is
controversial, but supporting evidence may lie in, of all places, the animal
kingdom. Among wild chimpanzees in Tanzania, young females learn to
forage for termites - and become better at it - more than 2 years earlier
than young males. Scientists say that the females carefully copy their
mother's methods of using vegetation as tools to snare more bugs.
Males spend their time monkeying around, eventually developing their won
less-efficient foraging styles. "Teachers say, 'Wow. That is exactly
what I see in my classroom. Boys are more active, and girls are in
small groups talking or playing teacher,'" says researcher Elizabeth
Lonsdorf, Ph.D., formerly of the Jane Goodall Institute's of Center for
Primate Studies at the University of Minnesta.
Source: Unknown
April
Yoga May Help Kids with ADHD
The regular practice of yoga
is known for helping adults achieve a sense of relaxation and inner peace. A
recent study suggests that yoga may benefit children with
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
According to research published in the Journal of Attention Disorders
(2004), boys diagnosed with ADHD and stabilized with medications reduced
their ADHD symptoms and showed improvement in attention and behavior when
they practiced yoga regularly.
Researchers recruited 19 ADHD patients and divided them into two groups: a
yoga group and a control group. The first group participated in 20 yoga
sessions. Patients in the control group took part in cooperative activities.
Both groups experienced improvements. Interestingly, among the members of
the yoga group, those who practiced more frequently at home in addition to
attending the group sessions showed greater improvement in behavior and
attention.
This study suggests that yoga may be a useful complementary activity for
children who already take medication to manage their ADHD. The researchers
called for larger studies on yoga's potential benefits for these children.
February 2005 IDEA
Fitness Journal
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March
Children Influenced by Soft Drink
Consumption of Parents, Peers
Obesity rates in children are rising at an alarming rate. Type 2 diabetes,
which traditionally was rarely diagnosed in children, is predicted to be an
epidemic if these rates continue. Since soft drink consumption, and the
mindless snacking often accompanying it is frequently identified as a
contributing factor to childhood diabetes, the purpose of this study was to
why children consume soft drinks.
The study analyzed soft-drink consumption for 560 children and adolescents
between the ages of 8 to 13. More than 80% of the children reported weekly
soft-drink consumption, while thirty percent of the children reported
drinking soda everyday.
Factors that were associated with increased soft drink consumption were
having parents and peers who regularly consumed sodas; watching more than 3
˝ hours of television a day; having easy access to sodas at home and school,
and enjoying the taste.
Fitness Professionals should educate children and their parents about the
need to reduce beverages that supply only sugar and empty calories. Families
should be encouraged to offer alternative beverages such as water and milk
and should also be encouraged to support policies at school that limit the
availability of these sugary beverages. In addition, daily television
watching should also be limited since it is not only associated with the
consumption of more soda, but it is also a passive activity that burns less
calories per minute than standing or moving around.
Grimm, Gebra, C. et al. Factors associated with soft drink consumption in
school-aged children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 104(8),
1244-1249.
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February
Yoga Helps Kids
Teaching yoga to children between the ages of five to
twelve, I've seen how yoga helps them develop better body awareness,
self-control, flexibility, coordination and self-esteem.
Yoga has also been shown to help the hyperactive and attention-deficit
child. These children crave movement and sensory/motor stimulus. Yoga helps
channel these impulses in a positive way. Teaching yoga classes at the end
of school day, I quickly began to understand the children’s need to expel
excess energy. So to help release some of their energy, we would begin by
playing ‘Freeze Dance’. I would play music from various cultures while the
children danced freely. After a period I would pause the music and they
would freeze in a silly position. After a few minutes, we’d move on to
something that required focus, such as ‘Pass the Bell without Ringing’
Game. This game not only taught the children concentration but patience as
well. For example, Luis, one of my 5 year old male students was not quite
as centered as some of the older children. He typically would have some
trouble passing the bell to his classmate sitting next to him without
ringing it. Fortunately, he was never frustrated by the exercise. As a
matter of fact, he really enjoyed it and even requested we play ‘Pass the
Bell’ game on the last day of class!
When it comes to relaxation, some children have a difficult time closing
their eyes while others can't get enough. One technique that encourages
relaxation is a guided visualization or story with a calming theme of some
kind. For example, a child may choose to wear an eye pillow to block out
light while lying in Savasana (Corpse Pose) or choose to color a Mandala
Design quietly while I read the visualization. I may ask them to imagine
themselves riding on a magic carpet that passes through a rainbow and
experience whatever sensations arise as they float through each color. At
the end of the relaxation exercise, I would encourage the children to share
their own experiences. The idea is to instill a sense of peace and feeling
of self-confidence to share without fear or embarrassment.
It is such a thrill to see kids bond and become selfless while assisting
each other perform partner poses.
My philosophy is to make each Kid’s Yoga class fun, yet educational by
playing games that incorporate the basic yoga postures and breathing
techniques. It is my wish that more and more parents will choose yoga
classes for their children. There is such a wealth of knowledge we can offer
our children with the practice of yoga. The simple chanting of OM makes
their faces light up and smile. My 10 year old son is an example. He has
been practicing with me for over three years and sometimes leads my
classes. The other students look up to him as a mentor and a fellow yogi.
Monica Stamper, CityBeat Magazine Jan 19-26, 2005
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January
Yoga for the Whole Family
Kids love it...When yoga is taught at their level, kids readily enjoy
the physical and mental release this practice offers. Most instructors who
teach yoga to children report that kids are eager to use their imagination
to stand like trees, stretch like dogs or be frogs. And today, when many
children - like adults - suffer from stress, yoga can teach them how to
relax. In addition to the classes at schools and fitness facilities, popular
yoga camps for kids are offered at some retreat centers.
According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Center for Health Statistics,
16% of U.S. children 6 - 18 years old are overweight. Overweight is defined
as having a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile on the
CDC's 2000 BMI-for-age growth charts. Yoga can be an enjoyable activity that
can help children increase their physical activity levels and achieve a
healthy weight.
January 2005 IDEA Fitness Journal
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