Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis

March 20, 2015

Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis: Understanding Strength Training

Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis is very essential for the health of our bones.

The bigger percentage of the general body weight is in the bones. It is the bones that forms the structure which when covered by the flesh then we can say that this is the body. Therefore the stability of the bones is very important if life is to be enjoyable. It is also important to appreciate that it is the bones that bears the greatest burden in carrying the body weight and that is why we want to look into details weight training for women with osteoporosis. If you have been with us through the past articles, we did mention that women are most vulnerable to be attacked by osteoporosis than men. It is because of this vulnerability that we want to offer solutions to women through creating awareness and an elaborate and professional weight training programs tailored to meet your individual needs. We spoke to doctor Dalal Akoury the MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center about this problem and she is going to be taking us through some of the things we need to do to be safe from the attacks of osteoporosis.

Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis: Weight Training for Osteoporosis

To bring this to perspective, doctor Akoury raises these questions, did you know that weight training for osteoporosis is not just about walking or doing aerobics? Are you aware that even weight lifting too can help protect your bones and prevent osteoporosis-related fractures? I asked these because ordinarily when one is suffering from osteoporosis, it is believed that their bones are weak and may not need such exercises, nonetheless studies has shown that strength training over a period of time can help prevent bone loss and may even help build new bone.

According to one of the studies, postmenopausal women who participated in a strength training program for a year registered a significant increase in their bone density and particularly in the most vulnerable places like the spine and hips. These are the areas mostly affected by osteoporosis in older women. It goes therefore without saying that it is important to maintain strong muscles during weight training as this will help the patients in keeping up their balance and coordination. These two are very critical elements in preventing falls, which can lead to osteoporosis-related fractures. Osteoporosis is eating on our bones and coupled with the rate at which we lose muscles as we grow annually such that by the time we are very old in late 60 and above we only have just about 55% or even less of our muscles left. If you have been wondering why people get weak as they get older then this can explain your concerns. We are now in the know of the consequences of osteoporosis in our growth and development; therefore if we want to keep fit and age in strong muscles, then we must chose to prevent this by taking weight training seriously.

Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis: Getting Started on Weight Training for Osteoporosis

Now that we have made a decision to start the trainings, the question would be how should you start weight training for osteoporosis? Focus on the back and the hip, says doctor Dalal Akoury who is also the founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. It is in order to start from there because those are the areas mostly damaged by bone loss, and the area’s most at risk from osteoporosis-related fractures. And owing to the delicate nature of this problem, engaging a weight loss professional would be very ideal. Doctor Akoury recommends that a good exercise should include hip extension, abduction, adduction and hip flexion. In other words the exercise should largely concentrate around the hips. The following are some of the exercises you may opt for:

Backward bending is also good.
Sit on a bench or chair with 5-pound weights strapped to each ankle.
Then “march” in place, lifting the knees alternately.

You’re working the hip flexor muscles, which are attached to both the back and hip, which leads to improved bone and muscle mass in both areas. The following are some of the very important weight training tips you can chose from:

Work under the supervision of a qualified, certified personal trainer, especially at first and particularly if you have any medical issues.
Do strength training two to three times a week, with at least one day of rest between each session (especially if you’re working the same muscles at each session).
Do one exercise for each major muscle group, for a total of eight to 12 different exercises. Do one or two sets of eight to 10 repetitions for each exercise.
Lift the weight slowly; lift to a count of four and lower to a count of four, says Lein. “This decreases the likelihood of injury while helping to recruit the muscle better.”
Don’t use other muscles to compensate. You should only be moving the muscle you’re supposed to be moving!
Tighten abdominal muscles to help protect your spine.
Periodically consult with a trainer about increasing the amount of weight you lift as you become stronger.

If you already have osteoporosis, seek out a personal trainer experienced in working with people who have osteoporosis. You may have to find one, like doctor Akoury, at a medical center with an osteoporosis program. And besides, ensure that in your exercise be sure to take these two precautions seriously:

If you have osteoporosis in your spine, don’t lift more than 20 to 25 pounds with your arms or against your trunk, and avoid movements that have you twisting your trunk or bending forward extensively.
If you have osteoporosis in the hips, there is no specific restriction on the amount of weight lifted or types of movement. But people with osteoporosis in any area should ensure that their activities don’t increase the risk of falling.

Finally the result on the bone density may not be realized immediately nonetheless this will become clear as you progress with the exercise and taking the weight measurement from time to time during the training duration. Just to avoid unnecessary discouragement about the outcome, it may be wise that the patients are given a longer period like one year to get the actual result of their bone density. Remember that this should be a process and may not yield to your expectation as in the normal body weight loss. You may be training for the whole year and only realize 1% change in bone density. Doctor Akoury says that this should not discourage you because you are on the right track. If you were to be persistent with that 1% for ten years, then you will achieve 10% which is a lot of bones added.

Weight Training for Women with Osteoporosis: Understanding Strength Training

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients

March 12, 2015

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Strategies for Easing Cancer Pain Naturally

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients requires deeper understanding of the bigger picture of cancer as a chronic disease

If we can effectively manage the pains we go through while in sickness effectively, then medication can be effective as well. Many times we are not able to get better as we should because of the overwhelming pain we are experiencing. When you are in a lot of pain, even taking your medication becomes difficult. And the consequence of this is prolonged illness and suffering. This is what experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of Doctor Akoury’s care want to bring to an end. It is therefore very important that we address the effective pain management for cancer patients among other related chronic diseases. In our previous article, we dealt with strategies for easing cancer pain natural highlighting meditation, healthy diet and acupuncture as some of the natural pain control means. We want to further that by adding more to the list as follows:

Massage therapy
Chiropractic care
Laughter therapy
Music
Exercise
Hypnosis

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Massage Therapy

The feelings of being massage are very soothing and comfortable I must say. Normally good massage therapists will different massaging techniques which may include kneading, tapping, pressure and deep circular movements. All these are meant to deliver and relieve a variety of conditions including pain. No wonder according to a survey done by the American Hospital Association 91 percent of the respondents agreed that massage was effective in reducing pain. And yet in another study according to the American Massage Therapy Association, it was established that massage stimulates the brain to produce endorphins which is a natural pain-relieving chemical further confirming the effectiveness of massage in pain management. Besides that the experts have also established that massage therapy has the ability to perform the following:

Promotes relaxation and alleviates the perception of pain and anxiety in cancer patients
Reduces post-traumatic headaches better than cold-packs
Reduces pain and muscles spasms in patients who have had heart bypass surgery

Massage has been endorsed in many studies as a pain reliever but in all this doctor Akoury say that if you were to go for this then you must be careful to look for a reputable and qualified massage therapist who is experienced in helping with pain relief.

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Chiropractic Care

If you look keenly, you will realize that those who go for chiropractic care does so mainly because of neck pain, back pain and headaches. And for sure they get help from the chiropractic care nonetheless chiropractic care can also help your spine and other body parts to get back into proper alignment and by extension helps in relieving pain besides supporting the body’s natural healing processes. According to the American Chiropractic Association, studies have shown that patients treated by chiropractors for low back pain had greater improvement after one month than patients treated by family physicians. Chiropractic care has also been proven to provide significant relief for headache pain and neck pain, as well as provide treatment for joint pain.

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Laughter Therapy

When you laugh, your body releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers that also contribute to a sense of well-being. This may help to reduce your pain directly, while also distracting you from the pain, similar to meditation, and providing a wonderful form of stress relief. Indirectly, laughter therapy, which is, as it sounds, using humor therapeutically to get you to laugh more often, can help to relieve pain by:

Relaxing your muscles
Easing digestion and soothing stomachaches
Promoting relaxation and better sleep
Enhancing oxygen intake
Boosting your immune system and circulatory system

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Music

Music can be extremely soothing not only for your mind but also for your body. By way of distraction and relaxation, music is a form of pain relief that’s as simple and enjoyable as it is effective.

In one small study, patients with back, neck or joint pain experienced a 20 percent decrease in pain after listening to music for one hour a day for seven days, compared to a 2 percent increase in pain in the control group.
Music has also been found to help reduce post-surgical pain, chronic and cancer pain, along with reducing patients’ need for pain-relieving medications.
It is therefore recommended that whenever the mood strikes and your spirit goes down put on your favorite musical artist and let the sounds help soothe the problem away.

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Exercise

Like laughter, exercise prompts the release of pain-relieving endorphins, which can help to block pain signals from reaching your brain.

Exercise also works to boost your mood, strengthen bones, muscles and tissues around joints, and provides you with more energy.

Regular exercise can also help with weight control, which can be beneficial for certain types of pain, especially joint pain and back pain.

Take for instance patients struggling with rheumatoid arthritis; engagements in aerobic and strength training exercises will help in the improvement of their endurance, strength and functional ability.

For those with fibromyalgia, one study found pool exercise significantly improved chronic widespread pain, while knee strengthening exercises have been found to significantly reduce knee pain and improve knee function in those with knee pain.

If you’re in pain, you need to be careful not to overdo exercise or engage in high-impact activities that could worsen your condition. If this describes your situation then you can consult with experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center and you will be attended to by a knowledgeable personal trainer who will take you through exercise tailored to help in improving your individual health needs.

Finally dear reader, pain is never good for anyone and more so when you are a cancer patient. Anything medically sound which can help you elevate pain must be done by all means. The experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury are determine to bringing comfort to every cancer patients by ensuring that pain is eliminated. We can only be of help to you if you avail yourself for the help you need. Therefore desire to schedule for an appointment with doctor Akoury today and begin the journey towards comfort and healthy life you desperately need.

Effective Pain Management for Cancer Patients: Strategies for Easing Cancer Pain Naturally

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems

March 10, 2015

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: What you dint know about the two complications

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems is very important. The chronic nature of cancer can be very devastating to patients

Psychological stress refer to how people feel when they are challenged mentally, physically, or emotionally by life pressures a round them. Practically it may be normal and in order to experience some psychological stress periodically, however if this experience is extended over a long period of time, it may result in the development of certain health complications. We appreciate that normal psychological stress will always be here with us, but we are equally concern with the consistency of psychological stress and cancer complications, that is why we want to take time in addressing the psychological stress and cancer problems in this article. We are going to be relying heavily on the experience of experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care. Doctor Akoury has been in this practice for more than two decades and she explains that “stress can be caused both by daily responsibilities and routine events, as well as by more unusual events, such as a trauma or illness in oneself or a close family member”. When people feel that they are unable to manage or control changes caused by cancer or normal life activities, they are in distress. Distress has become increasingly recognized as a factor that can reduce the quality of life of cancer patients. There is even some evidence that extreme distress is associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Clinical guidelines are available to help doctors and nurses assess levels of distress and help patients manage it.

The purpose of this article is to provide you with some of the general introduction to the stress that people may experience as they cope with cancer. Nonetheless you can get more detailed information about specific psychological conditions related to stress on call to AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under Doctor Akoury’s care. Therefore you can schedule for that appointment today and be the first to know from the experts.

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: Reactions of the body during stress

The body reacts to all the physical, mental, or emotional pressure by discharging stress hormones like as epinephrine and norepinephrine.
These hormones in turn increases blood pressure, speed up heart rate, and raise blood sugar levels.
These changes help a person act with greater strength and speed to escape a perceived threat.

Besides these reactions experts have also established that people who experience intense and long-term stress can have digestive problems, fertility problems, urinary problems, and a weakened immune system. However people who experience chronic stress are also more prone to viral infections such as the flu or common cold and to have headaches, sleep trouble, depression, and anxiety.

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: Effects of psychological stress on cancer

Even though stress is associated with several health complications, there is no clear scientific evidence that it can cause cancer. Nonetheless some studies have pointed out an association between various psychological factors as an increased risk of developing cancer. Such risk could be explained in the following ways.

If one is under the influence of stress he is likely to entertain certain behaviors like smoking, overeating or drinking alcohol actions which increase a person’s risk for cancer. Or genetically if you have in your lineage one who had suffered from cancer, then you may have a higher risk suffering from the same because of a shared inherited risk factor and not because of the stress induced by the family member’s diagnosis.

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: Effects of psychological stress on Cancer survivors

People who have cancer may find the physical, emotional, and social effects of the disease to be stressful. Those who attempt to manage their stress with risky behaviors such as smoking or drinking alcohol or who become more sedentary may have a poorer quality of life after cancer treatment. In contrast, people who are able to use effective coping strategies to deal with stress, such as relaxation and stress management techniques, have been shown to have lower levels of depression, anxiety, and symptoms related to the cancer and its treatment. However, there is no evidence that successful management of psychological stress improves cancer survival.

According to a study conducted in women with triple-negative breast cancer who had gone through neoadjuvant chemotherapy treatment, when they were asked about their use of beta blockers, which are medications that interfere with certain stress hormones, before and during chemotherapy. Those who had used beta blockers registered a better chance of surviving their cancer treatment without a relapse than women who did not use. And in relation to their overall survival no much difference was reported. It must be noted that even though there is no strong evidence that stress directly affects cancer outcomes, some statistics suggest that patients can develop a sense of helplessness or hopelessness when stress becomes overwhelming. A lot more needs to be done for this to be clear however this response has been strongly associated with higher rates of death of many cancer patients. Probably this could be as a result that those who feel helpless or hopeless normally don’t seek for treatment when they become ill. In other words they give up prematurely on or fail to adhere to potentially helpful therapy and engage in risky behaviors such as drug use or do not maintain a healthy lifestyle, resulting in premature death.

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: Educating people who have cancer on how to cope with psychological stress

One of the primary objectives of the formation of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center is to create awareness about various health conditions. At this facility, we believe that emotional and social support is very instrumental in giving patients hope and encouragement of coping with psychological stress. Such support impacts positively in reducing the levels of depression, anxiety, diseases and treatment solutions related to symptoms among patients. The following guidelines can be very helpful:

Training in relaxation, meditation or stress management
Counseling or talk therapy
Cancer education sessions
Social support in a group setting
Medications for depression or anxiety
Exercise

Finally it may not be possible for us to document everything in the article, and therefore we want to have a working relationship with you in the fight of kicking out disease out of our societies. We would therefore make an appeal to anyone reading this right now to make that very important appointment with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center and doctor Dalal Akoury will not only take you through what you’re missing, but also to offer your real time treatment solutions you desperately needs right now.

Addressing the Psychological Stress and Cancer Problems: What you dint know about the two complications

Your Role in Childhood Overweight Elimination

March 4, 2015

Your Role in Childhood Overweight Elimination: Identifying Childhood Overweight

Your role in childhood overweight elimination begins with you being a good role model. To curb obesity in our children we must lead from the front and be consistent

Somebody once said that together we stand and divided we fall. This is a very weighty statement in the context of this discussion of your role in childhood overweight elimination. For us to win the war against childhood overweight and obesity, we must all resolve to pool together and bring up healthy children free from the scourge of overweight and obesity. This is very important because being overweight is linked to certain chronic health conditions which we can’t afford to let our children go through. You may not achieve this by leaning on your own understanding. And therefore seeking for professional help will be very ideal. Doctor Dalal Akoury is one of the few experts who are very experienced and are equal to the task. You can get to this great medical professional by scheduling for an appointment with her in her office at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. She actually founded this facility primarily to offer her exclusive NER Recovery Treatment to everyone including other physicians and health care professionals through training, clinical apprenticeships, webinars and seminars. It may not matter your background but this is open to everyone including any qualified professional in all discipline.

It is important to note that childhood overweight can only be identified scientifically through the measurement of Body Mass Index or BMI. This can be calculated using kilograms (kg) and meters (m), or pounds (lbs) and inches (in). The moment BMI is calculated, it’s findings can be used to determine if a child is overweight or not, by comparing the BMI with the CDC growth charts for children of the same age and sex.

Children who have a BMI at or above the 95%, percentile for age and sex are considered overweight.
Children with a BMI that falls between the 85%-95% are classified as at risk for overweight.

And because children may not understand the root cause of the problem, it therefore becomes your role in childhood overweight elimination by consulting with pediatrician or your family physician to help you in monitoring the weight and the child’s growth. Screening for other health risk factors (such as blood pressure or lipid profile) may be recommended by your physician. Remember that the BMI is just an initial tool in a series of examinations required to determine if your child is overweight. Determining your child’s overweight or obesity is not something you do by just making observation. Therefore at no time should a child be diagnosed and labeled overweight by a parent, teacher, or other lay (non-medical) individual. Discussions concerning the child’s weight should occur only after reviewing his or her condition with a medical professional. And this is what we do best at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury. Talk to us today and allow us to not only help your child, but you as well.

Your Role in Childhood Overweight Elimination: Tips for Parents & Caregivers to Help Establish Healthy Eating Patterns with Kids

Parents should choose what children can eat, (what foods and drinks are in the home, what foods and drinks are served at meals and snacks, what restaurants they go to, etc.) but among those foods, parents should allow kids to choose whether they eat at all and how much to eat.
Fruits and vegetables, as compared to high calorie snack foods (often high fat and high sugar), should be readily available in the home.
Serve and eat a variety of foods from each food group.
Use small portions – child portions are usually very small, particularly compared to adult portions. More food can always be added.
Bake, broil, roast or grill meats instead of frying them.
Limit use of high calorie, high fat and high sugar sauces and spreads.
Use low-fat or nonfat and lower calorie dairy products for milk, yogurt and ice cream.
Support participation in play, sports and other physical activity at school, church or community leagues.
Be active as a family – Go on a walk, bike ride, swim or hike together. Limit TV time.
Avoid eating while watching TV. TV viewers may eat too much, too fast, and are influenced by the foods and drinks that are advertised.
Replace high-sugared drinks, especially sodas, with water or low fat milk.
Limit fruit juice intake to two servings or less per day (one serving = ¾ cup) – Many parents allow their children unlimited intake of fruit juice (100%) because of the accompanying vitamins and minerals. However, children who drink too much fruit juice may be consuming excess calories.
Encourage free play in young children and provide environments that allow children to play indoors and outdoors.
Role model through actions healthy dietary practices, nutritional snacks, and lifestyle activities. Avoid badgering children, restrictive feeding, labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” and using food as a reward.

Your Role in Childhood Overweight Elimination: Expert’s role in Eliminating Childhood Obesity

Tips for Pediatricians & Other Health Care Professionals to Facilitate the Prevention of Childhood Overweight. Health Supervision Recommendations may include the following:

Identify and track patients at risk by virtue of family history, birth weight, or socioeconomic, ethnic, cultural, or environmental factors.
Calculate and plot BMI once a year in all children and adolescents.
Use change in BMI to identify rate of excessive weight gain relative to linear growth.
Encourage, support, and protect breastfeeding.
Encourage parents and caregivers to promote healthy eating patterns by offering nutritious snacks, such as vegetables and fruits, low-fat dairy foods, and whole grains; encouraging children’s autonomy in self-regulation of food intake and setting appropriate limits on choices; and modeling healthy food choices.
Routinely promote physical activity, including unstructured play at home, in school, in child care settings, and throughout the community.
Recommend limitation of television and video time to a maximum of 2 hours per day.
Recognize and monitor changes in obesity-associated risk factors for adult chronic disease, such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, hyper-insulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance, and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Like I had indicated before, the spirit is all about pooling together. In view of this, the following are some of the advocacy recommendations:

As a professional help parents, teachers, coaches, and others who influence youth to discuss health habits, not body habitus, as part of their efforts to control overweight.
Enlist policy makers from local, state, and national organizations and schools to support a healthful lifestyle for all children, including proper diet and adequate opportunity for regular physical activity.
Encourage organizations that are responsible for health care and health care financing to provide coverage for effective obesity prevention and treatment strategies.
Encourage public and private sources to direct funding toward research into effective strategies to prevent overweight and to maximize limited family and community resources to achieve healthful outcomes for youth.
Support and advocate for social marketing intended to promote healthful food choices and increased physical activity.

The list is endless and I want to encourage you to be smart and get the first hand information from the experts by scheduling for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today.

Your Role in Childhood Overweight Elimination: Identifying Childhood Overweight

The Prevalence of Childhood Overweight and Obesity

March 4, 2015

The Prevalence of Childhood Overweight and Obesity: The time bomb in waiting

The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity is worrying. If we don’t correct things now, we may be passing the wrong mantle to the next generation

In the resent past the available statistics about the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has been on the rise. Yet there is very little indication that it is soon going away, at least from the statistics available. Even though it is a global problem, US is one of the country that is most affected with records showing that in just three decades the problem has tripled. Currently it is estimated that one in five children in the US is overweight. Despite this worrying trend, experts are reporting that even the already overweight children are further becoming heavier every day. And as if that is not enough, there is fear that the overweight or obese preschool going children are 5 times more likely than normal-weight children to be overweight or obese as adults. It is because of this that childhood overweight is regarded as the most common prevalent nutritional disorder of US children and adolescents, and one of the most common problems seen by pediatricians.

For how long are we going to keep making reference to the statistic that does not appear to change in the right direction? Like minded professionals like doctor Dalal Akoury are among those who are doing all it takes to bring a difference. In her effort to impact positively in people’s lives Dr. Akoury founded a medical center (AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center) whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power. Our children should not be allowed to go through this. We are all aware of the health complications associated with being overweight or obese. I pose a question to you do you want them to face the chronic diseases associated with overweight and obesity? I can guess your answer is NO and that is why Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. If you could start by scheduling for an appointment with her to get her professional input in all this, then you will be taking the first relay line towards eliminating the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity.

The Prevalence of Childhood Overweight and Obesity: Consequences of Childhood Overweight

The consequences of being overweight or obese are not anything you would wish for your worse enemies. Both the short term and long term effects of overweight on health are of concern because of the negative psychological and health consequences in childhood. We are often told that we have this life once and we can only live it that way. If we are in agreement with that then I want to pose a second question. Why do we allow the following negative psychological overweight outcomes to ruin the life of our children?

Depressive symptoms
Poor Body Image
Low Self-Concept
Risk for Eating Disorders
Behavior and Learning Problems

The negative effects are not just psychological but also come with negative health consequences. The following are some of the health consequences we are subjecting our children to if we don’t make a complete overhaul of our attitude towards obesity and overweight:

Type 2 Diabetes
Low HDL Cholesterol levels in the blood
Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (fatty infiltration and inflammation of the liver)
Asthma
Hypertension
Sleep Apnea
Insulin Resistance
Early puberty
Orthopedic problems such as Blount’s disease and slipped capital femoral epiphysis
High Total and LDL Cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood

Besides this if nothing is done then the communication we are passing on is that, this is a problem to be passed to the next generation and the vicious cycle continues. Nevertheless, obese children are more likely to be obese as adults, hence they are at increased risk for a number of diseases including: stroke, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and some cancers.

The Prevalence of Childhood Overweight and Obesity: Contributors to Childhood Overweight

Food Choices – diets higher in calories (including fats and simple sugars) and lower in fruits and vegetables are linked with overweight

Physical Activity vs. Sedentary Activity – less physical activity and more time spent participating in activities such as watching TV results in less energy expenditure

Parental Obesity – children of obese parents are more likely to be overweight themselves. There is an inherited component to childhood overweight that makes it easier for some children to become overweight than others. There are a number of single gene mutations (“genetic alterations”) that are capable of causing severe childhood overweight, though these are rare. Even children with genetic risk for overweight will still only become overweight if they consume more calories than they use. Parental obesity may also reflect a family environment that promotes excess eating and insufficient activity.

Eating Patterns – skipping meals or failure to maintain a regular eating schedule can result in increased intakes when food is eaten.

Parenting Style – some researchers believe that excess parental control over children’s eating might lead to poor self-regulation of kid’s energy intake.

Diabetes during pregnancy – overweight and type 2 diabetes occur with greater frequency in the offspring of diabetic mothers (who are also more likely to be obese)

Low Birth Weight – Low birth weight is a risk factor for overweight in several epidemiological studies.

Excessive weight gain during pregnancy – Several studies have shown that excessive maternal weight gain during pregnancy is associated with increased birth weight and overweight later in life.

Formula Feeding – Breast feeding is generally recommended over formula feeding. Although the exact mechanism in unknown, several long-term studies suggest that breast feeding may prevent excess weight gain as children grow.

Parental Eating and Physical Activity Habits – Parents with poor nutritional habits and who lead sedentary lifestyles role model these behaviors for their children, thereby creating an “obesigenic” home environment.

Demographic Factors – Certain demographic factors are associated with an increased risk of being overweight in childhood. For example, there is evidence that African-American and Hispanic children 6 to 11 years old are more likely to be overweight than are non-Hispanic white children of the same age. Asian and Pacific Islander children of the same age were slightly less likely to be overweight.

The Prevalence of Childhood Overweight and Obesity: The time bomb in waiting

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