BlogHer - Childhood Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Prevention - Comments

Beware of White Bread

SheilaRae — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 09:36:06 -0600

There are articles, news reports and comedians that put there “two cents” in on what should be this years New Year’s Resolution. So I decided to join them and suggest to the world to eliminate white flour. There are many supporting facts on why we should do this but we are a Wonder Bread Society and habits are hard to break.

White flour came onto the scene around the time of the Industrial Revolution. We started milling wheat and removing the beneficial germ to increase the bread self life. Naturalist would say that they removed the life of the grain which is what makes it so beneficial to the body. I think this is a valid point but the thing that scares me the most is the use of chemicals in the process. The most common used in the production of white flour is called alloxan. This chemical is used to make white flour look so beautifully clean and this same chemical has the power to destroy the beta cells of the pancreas. What does that mean to our bodies in the long term, the risk of diabetes? Scientists have known the risk for years and even use it to induce diabetes in lab animals by injecting alloxan directly into the animals. How does alloxan cause diabetes? The alloxan makes beta cells fail to operate normally and they eventually do not produce insulin which causes one variety of adult-onset type 2 diabetes. The white flour industry argues if alloxan was the primary cause of diabetes more Americans would be diabetic. Even though that is a valid point we also know that not just one thing usually causes a single health issue.

If you are diabetic or have a family history of diabetics one of the first steps in prevention is the elimination of white flour.

The baker’s at Bizzy Lizzy Bakery have come up with a wonderful solution. They have created a breakfast “Hearty” cookie that is packed with fiber and protein. These soft and delicious cookies have 4 grams of fiber and NO FLOUR. Most high fiber products have wheat flours, which many are trying to avoid.

Prevention Strong in Groups

Girl Who Loves to Run — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 23:06:40 -0600

Running and healthy living programs such as Girls on the Run (www.girlsontherun.org) and Marathon Kids (www.marathonkids.org) help prevent obesity as well as build healthy self-esteem. The programs provide kids with ways to integrate physical fitness, healthy food choices and the idea of community into their everyday lives. Groups such as these are helpful for parents who might need help in this area - in fact, once parents see the positive impact of these programs, they have been known to get their own bodies active!

Brianna Grant
Author
We Are Girls Who Love to Run
www.balancedsteps.com

Thanks Lisa.

Catherine Morgan — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 09:01:09 -0600

Thanks for sharing the link.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at CatherineBlogs.com and The Political Voices of Women

Parents in denial

IAAdmin — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 06:40:49 -0600

Parents need to take an active role in preventing childhood obesity. In my blog's weekly news feature, I commented on a topic similar to this one:

"Kids’ obesity not weighing on their parents’ minds"

Lisa
Iowa Avenue

Childhood Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, and Prevention

Catherine Morgan — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:15:03 -0600

The number of overweight children in the United States is growing at a very alarming rate. Kids are spending much less time being active, and much more time sitting in front of a TV, computer, or video-game. For this reason we are seeing an increase in children developing diseases (such as Type 2 Diabetes) that are normally associated with overweight adults. This is very troubling, especially considering that it is preventable.

So, how do you know if your child is overweight? And...What do you do?

Preventing your children from becoming overweight means adapting the way you and your family eat and exercise and the way you spend time together. Helping your children lead healthy lifestyles begins with you, the parent, and leading by example. -- read full article

A recent study also finds that children with type 2 diabetes are more likely to develop kidney disease...

Children and teens diagnosed with type 2 diabetes are five times more likely to develop kidney disease later in life than those who develop diabetes as adults, a recent study found.

The findings underscore the importance of preventing -- or at least delaying -- the onset of type 2 diabetes, doctors say. -- read full article

Tina at Public Spark has some tips for preventing childhood obesity...

I am not a nutritionist therefore cannot give you the 411 on diet, but I thought it would be interesting to take a psychological perspective on it. Obesity is a major problem that exists in our society today. If we can stop it early on, I believe that that we can decrease the problem later on. My boyfriend and I came up with some techniques that we would like to use when we have children. -- read full post

Bev from That's Fit has some tips from Bob Greene on childhood obesity...

Exercise physiologist Bob Greene, Oprah's fitness trainer, had a few things to say about combating childhood obesity while in Toronto last week. He believes parents can make a significant difference. -- read full post

Also See: Childhood Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at CatherineBlogs.com and The Political Voices of Women