Putting on
pounds
Kids whose parents are demanding but not emotionally
responsive are about one-third more likely to be obese than
kids whose parents set healthy boundaries, are affectionate
and discuss behaviour, according to research presented at
an American Heart Association conference. Researchers
compared kids whose parents are generally affectionate,
have reasonable discussions about behaviour with their
child and set healthy boundaries (authoritative) with
those whose parents were strict about limits without much
dialogue or affection (authoritarian). The latter group had a
30 per cent higher chance of being obese among kids two
to five years old and a 37 per cent higher chance among
kids six to 11 years.
source: ScienceDaily
Arts
to smarts
The next time you endure a screeching violin or discover
finger-painting on the wall, take heart: It will all be worth it.
Researchers at Michigan State University in the US studied
honours grads who majored in science, tech, engineering or
maths and found that they had received up to eight times
more exposure to the arts than the general public. Author Rex
LaMore, PhD, speculates that activities like music, photography
and crafts boost imagination and intuition – skills that are critical
to solving complex problems.
source: Parents
Diet
dilemma
Researchers have found that men
diagnosed with ADHD as children are
twice as likely to be overweight or obese
in adulthood as those who never had the
disorder. These findings may be surprising
to parents because some drugs used
to treat ADHD can suppress appetite.
“It’s not uncommon for kids treated with
ADHD medications to be fairly thin,” the
lead researcher said. Because parents
often worry that thinner boys won’t grow
as tall, “sometimes [they] will encourage
their boys to eat more.” Instead, to help
avert weight problems down the road,
parents should be alert to poor eating
habits. “Pay attention to how many times
they’re having fast food, how many times
they’re having fried food, whether they’re
getting meals supersized,” he said.
source: NBC News
Memory
boost
Getting your move on improves both physical and mental fitness. A Harvard
study of people aged 18 to 45 found that the more time adults spent exercising,
the more brain tissue they had in zones involved in memory. “For most people,
the memory-related brain areas start shrinking at a rate of one to two per cent a
year after they turn 50,” said lead author William D S Kilgore, PhD. “But you may
be able to slow – or even prevent – the decline with regular exercise.” Aim for at
least 150 active minutes per week (break them up however you’d like), experts
say, and keep it up as you get older.
source: Good Housekeeping
finger on
the pulse
