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Study says genes cause childhood obesity

April 13, 2012 by

In the largest genome study of common childhood obesity, researchers have identified a genetic predisposition to childhood obesity. This study differs from other studies because normally these studies are focused on more extreme cases of obesity, connected with rare diseases.

Further study is required to compile international data, but this study is promising in that it could provide some preventive interventions and treatments for children.

While genetics most likely play a role in childhood obesity, changing habits are the only way to get weight-loss results. Children and families who need strategies to jump-start their weight loss and to learn how to live in a healthy way should consider attending a weight loss camp for kids and teens.

The benefits of spending one summer at weight loss camp can last a lifetime! Not only do kids and teens lose weight, but they also gain self-esteem and make lasting friendships.

No matter the cause of childhood obesity, healthy habits are the cure.

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The Most Important Factor for Child Weight Loss

March 16, 2012 by

More and more studies are coming out saying that there is one factor that contributes most to the success or failure of a child trying to lose weight: their parent or caregiver.

Parents or caregivers have several ways of influencing the weight-loss success of their child or teen. Two important actions parents can take are:

  1. Identifying and changing unhealthy behaviors–both by the parent and the child or teen. Keeping a daily log of behaviors helps you to be more accountable for what you do, and the need for change becomes clear. When parents work alongside teens and kids to change their diet and exercise habits, children are more likely to do the same.
  2. Relying on positive reinforcement. Like all behavior changes, giving praise goes a long way in getting results. Positive reinforcement for behaviors should include non-monetary and non-food rewards like spending time together or a fun outing.

Parents’ behavior at home has a big influence on how kids tackle weight problems. Something else parents can do is consider sending their children to a summer weight loss camp to help kids begin to learn about good habits and jump-start their weight loss.

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Summer Weight-Loss Camp Is…

March 14, 2012 by

If you are still deciding whether summer camp is the right place for your child or teen, here is a list of what summer weight loss camp is about:

  • Healthy life learning. Camp shouldn’t be about fad diets or deprivation, it’s about having fun learning about correct portion sizes and enjoying physical activities.
  • Sports should focus on participation, not competition. Staff should instruct and positively reinforce the efforts of kids who are having a great time while being physically active. Physical activity should never be stressful!
  • Team building. Team activities teach kids how to work successfully as a team and how to be a good sport. Team activities also help raise self-esteem and build friendships!
  • Water activities. Hot summer days can be spent on a private lake kayaking, canoeing, swimming, fishing or more! Kids at Camp Pocono Trails get the amazing experience of having an onsite private lakefront at their disposal.
  • Building friendships and making memories. The camp experience would be nothing without the lasting bonds of friendship that are developed and cultivated year after year at weight loss camp.

Camp Pocono Trails is the absolute best place your child or teen can spend a summer!

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Overweight Kids May Miss More School than Other Kids

March 2, 2012 by

A new study published in the International Journal of Obesity showed that overweight and obese kids were more likely to miss two or more days of school in a month than normal weight kids.

While the study didn’t conclusively show evidence of why overweight kids might miss more school, the authors proposed a few theories.

The theories were:

  • Fear of being bullied.
  • Fear of being teased.
  • Feeling embarrassed to participate in physical activities.
  • Physical problems linked to obesity such as asthma or sleep apnea.

Whatever the reasons, missing school often can cause children to fall behind their peers academically. Children should never have to miss school because of something as preventable as childhood obesity. You can help your child make great steps toward improved self-confidence and healthy weight loss at a summer weight loss camp for kids.

Weight loss camp is a great opportunity for kids and teens to meet lifelong friends and learn how to live a healthy lifestyle that will keep them in shape for life!

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Is Bariatric Surgery a Good Option for Teens?

February 17, 2012 by

Childhood and teenage obesity is not just a problem in the United States—it’s also a growing problem in Canada.

Looking for a solution to this epidemic, some teens are turning to drastic measures normally reserved for adults. Teens are pursuing bariatric surgery—a variety of procedures that includes gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and laparoscopic gastric banding, commonly known as lap band.

These extreme measures have drastic results, but also require some very intense lifestyle changes. The surgery forces people to permanently give up caffeine sources such as pop and coffee, to eat much smaller portions and often take a variety of vitamin supplements. In addition, not a lot is known about the long-term effects of the surgery, so if adverse effects occur, teens could be especially vulnerable later in life.

Before considering such major life changes, teens should try exercise and healthy diet to combat their obesity problem. Changing daily habits takes time, and may not have the quick results that bariatric surgery has. However, healthy eating and exercise is actually less restrictive and much less dangerous than surgery. Caffeine and other treats can continue to be enjoyed, in moderation, and vitamin deficiencies (as long as a variety of healthful foods are eaten) are not a concern.

One way to jump start weight loss for teens is to send them to a weight loss camp, such as Camp Pocono Trails. At camp, teens learn healthy habits, discover new ways to be active and make lifelong friends. One summer can make a dramatic difference in teen weight loss success!

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Children Who Are Socially Excluded Tend to Exercise Less

February 11, 2012 by

New research from Kent State University demonstrates that social exclusion results in decreased physical activity among children. The study is called, “The Effect of Stimulated Ostracism on Physical Activity Behavior in Children,” and it appears in the March 2012 issue of Pediatrics.

In the study, children first played an online game. In half the instances of the game, the children were excluded from play. After playing online, they were allowed to choose a sedentary or physical activity while researchers analyzed data. In instances where children were deliberately left out of the online game, research showed they were more likely to choose a sedentary activity than the children who were not excluded from the online game.

The findings are a bit concerning and point to what could turn into a negative cycle for kids who are already overweight: if they are already excluded for being overweight, they may exercise less, causing them to remain overweight.

One way to break this cycle is a summer weight loss camp. Kids and teens who are overweight will find fun ways to exercise, and, perhaps more importantly, accepting friends who are working toward a common goal.

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Ten Reasons for Childhood Obesity

February 6, 2012 by

Child obesity is much more prevalent in the United States now than it was in the past. The Daily Meal proposes ten reasons why that might be:

  1. Growing portion sizes. Portion sizes have been growing over the years, causing children to eat more than they might realize.
  2. School food. Children eat processed food during the school day and have access to vending machines with junk food.
  3. Lack of physical activity. Kids spend too much time watching TV and playing video games and not enough time being active.
  4. Food advertising and marketing. Children and adolescents are marketed with their favorite characters and TV shows advertising food that’s processed and high in calories.
  5. Limited access to healthy and affordable foods. In some areas, fresh, healthy foods are hard to find and parents must turn to convenience stores for food instead of buying fresh fruits and vegetables.
  6. Mass production of cheap food. Processed, unhealthy foods and drinks are cheaper than healthier options.
  7. Increasing intake of high calorie beverages. More kids drink sodas and juices that are high in sugar and calories.
  8. Lack of breast-feeding. Studies show that breast-feeding has some protection against obesity because babies stop eating when they’re full instead of being encouraged to finish the bottle.
  9. Less time spent at the dinner table. Families are busier and often parents turn to the convenience of fast food instead of home-cooked meals for dinner.
  10. General lack of nutrition education. If parents aren’t aware of healthy eating principles, they can’t teach them to their children.

The reasons for obesity are different for each child and family. Learning good habits, like those promoted at Camp Pocono Trails, are one effective way to help combat some of the contributing factors and to help kids and teens lose weight and keep it off.

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This summer, make losing weight a result of having fun!

January 27, 2012 by

At Camp Pocono Trails, we know that changing habits are the way to long-lasting weight loss success. That’s why our camp introduces kids to sports and activities they want to keep doing even after camp is over, because they discover they have fun doing them!

Unlike some weight-loss camps that focus on education for weight-loss success, Camp Pocono Trails focuses on fun and friendships to build healthy new habits along with self-esteem. The best summer ever? We think so!

There’s no limit to the fun outdoor activities your child can enjoy, thanks to Camp Pocono Trails’ own private lake front and TWO swimming pools (one for boys and one for girls) and the outstanding amenities our camp features.

Here are just a few of the many activity choices campers can enjoy:

  • Water skiing
  • Kayaking
  • Swimming
  • Basketball
  • Floor hockey
  • Golf driving range
  • Dance
  • Yoga
  • Nature hikes
  • Plays
  • Climbing wall

What activity will your child discover that helps him or her make a step toward a healthier future?

Additionally, you can have peace of mind about your child’s well-being at our camp because we are accredited by the American Camp Association! Not all camps are accredited.

ACA accreditation goes a step further than state and federal regulations to ensure safety in all aspects of camp operation: site/food service, transportation, health care, management, staffing and program. So you can feel good about the safety of your child while he or she is having the summer of a lifetime!

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How can an obese child lose weight?

January 20, 2012 by

We’re all aware that childhood obesity is a growing problem, as obesity rates among children and adolescents have nearly tripled since 1980.

What’s causing this increase in obesity rates? Obesity has many different causes. Some of the causes are:

  • Lack of physical activity or sedentary lifestyle
  • Too much fat in the diet
  • Too much sugar in the diet
  • Family genetics

With those causes in mind, here are a few tips that can help obese children lose weight and help children with healthy weights stay there:

  • Find a “stopper”. A stopper is an activity that is incompatible with eating. Examples are chewing gum, playing outside, running, or doing house cleaning.
  • Make lifestyle changes as a family. Get rid of high-fat, high-sugar or salty snacks in your home to avoid temptation for your kids.
  • Drink plenty of water. Set an example for your kids. Water is healthy, and can keep you full so you don’t want to eat as much.
  • Exercise as a family. Go for a bike ride, play tennis, go swimming, or just go for a long walk as a family.
  • Find a weight-loss camp for kids that focuses on fun exercise opportunities, long-term success and lifelong friendships, such as Camp Pocono Trails.

More tips on helping obese children lose weight.

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Can Controversial TV Commercials End Childhood Obesity?

January 13, 2012 by

A new ad campaign in Georgia urges residents to “stop sugarcoating” childhood obesity. The ads aim to raise awareness of the problem by saying things like, “WARNING: It’s hard to be a little girl if you’re not,” and by claiming that 75% of parents with overweight children don’t realize there’s a problem.

Are these striking commercials enough to make a difference in the childhood obesity epidemic? Raising awareness is one step, but being aware of the problem won’t stop it. True lifestyle changes are the only way to conquer childhood obesity once and for all.

Changing one’s lifestyle, or the lifestyle of one’s children can be an overwhelming task. Incorporating more exercise, healthier foods and less time being sedentary in front of the TV or video games requires true commitment and dedication, and often parents don’t know where to start.

Weight loss camps for kids, such as Camp Pocono Trails, are a great way to kick-off healthy lifestyle changes. Kids and teens are taken out of their current environment and routine for a summer to a place where they can play, learn about and experience the lifestyle changes it takes to be healthier.

Additionally, kids and teens have a chance to connect with others who are working toward the same goals as they are, leading to an environment of acceptance and lifelong friendships.

Is there a better way to spend a summer? It’s not too early to start planning. Check out our dates & rates page today to find the summer adventure of a lifetime.

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