Kids can form deep attachments to brands, and healthy food offerings aren’t enough to combat obesity
junk food
Can’t Resist the Twinkie? A Guide to Working Off Its Calories
If you’re tempted to herald the return of the Twinkie by downing one (or more) of the golden treats, you’re probably not thinking about how many calories they contain. But just in case you’re curious…
Can Laws Against Junk Food in Schools Rein In Child Obesity?
Kids who live in states with strict laws regulating the sale of junk food and sugary drinks in school gain less weight than their peers in states with weak or no such laws, according to a new study published online in the journal …
Why Sleepy People Reach for Junk Food
If you’ve ever ended up at a greasy diner ravenous at 4 in the morning, this will come as no surprise: new studies find that a sleepy brain is more drawn to junk food than a well-rested one, and that it’s also less equipped to …
Disney’s Diet: No More Junk Food Ads on Kids Channels
On Tuesday, Walt Disney Co. announced it will ban all junk food advertising from its TV channels, websites and radio programs catering to children. Companies advertising food and beverages during Disney programming will be …
Study: A 20% ‘Fat Tax’ Would Improve Public Health
People are packing on the pounds worldwide, but a recent analysis finds taxing junk food could curb obesity rates.
Unhealthy Eating as Occupational Hazard?
If you’ve ever sat at your desk scarfing a vending-machine lunch, then you’d probably agree with the authors of a recent editorial in the journal PLoS Medicine, who wrote: “[U]nhealthy eating could legitimately be considered a …
It’s the Ads, Stupid: Why TV Leads to Obesity
How much TV do your kids watch? If you don’t know, you might want to find out, say experts, since the time children spend in front of a TV or computer screen can have a profound effect on their physical and developmental health.
The Healthland Podcast: Diets, Divorce and Cigarettes
On the podcast this week: results from a major Harvard study on how to eat right. Also, a controversial new trend in how some divorced parents are raising their children. And finally, the war over government labeling of …
The Sad State of American Kids’ Food Environments
Nearly half of all American children and teens are overweight or obese, according to government statistics, and a large part of the problem may be lack of access to healthy foods in kids’ environments.
5 Ways Parents May Be Sabotaging Their Kids’ Health
In a recent survey sponsored by the YMCA, 9 out of 10 parents rated themselves as good or excellent at providing a healthy home environment. But there’s something amiss: while 89% of parents think they are providing the right …
Why Having Kids Is Bad for Your Health
It’s unfortunate, but true: parenting may be hazardous to your health, at least according to new research that shows that mothers consume more calories and get less physical activity than women with no kids.
Heroin vs. Häagen-Dazs: What Food Addiction Looks Like in the Brain
Is Häagen-Dazs ice cream as addictive as heroin? Or, put another way, is heroin as addictive as Häagen-Dazs?