A year-long study in an upstate New York middle school has shown that moving the salad bar closer to the cash register increases the sales by 250-300%, and got 6% more of the children to eat lunch. This non-expensive method widely used by stores to increase sales can be used to clever promote better food choices for the children.

Children with Down syndrome tend to grow more slowly, and the outdated charts used to follow their growth are finally being updated. Advances in the medical care of children with Down syndrome have lead to new estimates for growth. By developing more representative growth charts, researchers hope to better design preventive health programs, and provide better treatments.

As childhood obesity continues to rise, First lady Michelle Obama talks about childhood obesity, and the importance of taking responsibility.

A study published in the journal pediatrics suggests that parents choose lighter products for their children when presented with the caloric content of the food. The calorie reduction seen among the 99 parents was 20%, with no correlation with the frequency of consuming fast-food. The 102 calorie reduction might be one step towards improving the health of overweight and obese children. This study has been very encouraging for the states that now consider making nutrition imformation on menus mandatory in the US.

Another study has again pointed out the lack of activity among children. Steep decreases in fitness level, even among children that are not obese, suggest that a focus on weight alone can overshadow other aspects important for a healthy life. A study that is published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood journal, signed up more than 600 children for a bleep test. The results were then compared to results from 1998. According to the experts the fitness level is falling at twice the predicted global average rate in UK. While the study is flawed, the lack of exercise and daily activity among children has long been discussed in the media, and new studies – even if small, might push forward a much needed change to improve children’s health.

Dr. Nathan Grills, of Australia’s leading Monash University argues in his research on Santa “Santa Claus: A public health pariah?” that the jolly Christmas figure is promoting unhealthy habits to children. He believes that the all the smoking, drinking (and drink-driving), unhealthy eating, obesity and the coughing and sneezing is sending out a bad message to children. Santa is a powerful marketing tool that is widely accepted around the world, and originates on the idea of St. Nicholas – that is celebrated on December the 5th-6th in Europe. St. Nicholas was a modest man known as the Nicholas the Wonderworker, and he left gifts in poor peoples shoes. This is far away from the Santa we see today, smoking and drinking, visibly obese and that is more or less immobile and not quite as modest.

The producers of the famous cereals such as Cocoa Puffs and Lucky Charms, General Mills, assure critics that they will reduce sugar content to single digits (per serve) in their cereals. A study earlier this year caught world wide attention as it was revealed that the least healthy cereals were marketed directly to children. 1/5 of the commercials targeted at children were for high sugar and fat items. The change in sugar content comes not long after the American Heart Association published their new guidelines on record low sugar intake recommendations.

Today CNN really amused me with the groundbreaking news that food is to blame for teen obesity. Eating too much is more of a problem than exercising too little, and they have discovered that portion sizes are larger than they used to be- and growing.
I actually thought that we already knew this, years ago – and I am somewhat baffled that it is considered news.

Even though it is not the children that do the grocery shopping at home, food is still heavily marketed towards this young group. The study ‘Frequency and Types of Foods Advertised on Saturday Morning and Weekday Afternoon English- and Spanish-Language American Television Programs’ shows that a staggering One-fifth of commercials were for food with 70% were for high sugar and fat items. 25% was for fast food restaurants. This makes me furious, especially as they also noticed in this study that this type of advertisements where more prevalent on children’s networks.
ONLY 1 in 63 ads were nutrition-related public service announcements. What do children really learn?

The month long discussion on energydrinks and youngsters has again made headlines. A young man was rushed to the hospital after experiencing chestpains and heart palpitations. He had started the day with a cigarette and a energydrink. While its is interesting to see that the underaged smoking is ignored, the school is wondering now if energy drinks should be banned.
In 2006 a medical magazine discussed cases of death thought to be caused consumption of energydrinks, often mixed with alchohol. So far there has been little research on the effects of energy drinks, and there is a need for large randomized studies. Taurine, an aminoacid often used in energy drinks, is believed to be potentially dangerous in large amounts, although there is no evidence to back that up with, yet. While in Sweden the discussion has been whether the ingredients are suitable for kids/ youngsters or not, the international debate has been regarding the marketing of energy drinks. Energy drinks has been marketed to youngster at a higher degree according to Marylandinstitute energy drink report.
The question is wheter to put restricitions on marketing or an age limit on the energy drinks? Whilst old-type marketing of prudukts was through tv, radio and magazines, energy drinks are now marketing at “grassroot level” to get to the younger generation. This is done by sponsoring events, using mysoace, facebook and other socializing programs, textmessaging and creating a one-on-one relationship with the target group. The websites are also directly targeting a younger group, with slogans such as:”can you take the heat?”- Burn and “Unleash the monster”- Monster. While some of them do set a recommended age such as Monster that set the low agelimit of 11 years, while some drinks seem to mock age limits by comments such as “Caffeine 80 mg, not for babies”. This remark seems to ‘dare’ somebody into drinking the energy drink. Red bull claims to give you wings, and they do a large amount of sponsored events. Dark dog, “dark dog is good for you”, market their drink on their website with stunning girls in very skimpy outfits.
Marketing has so far not been affected by the new discussions, but some stores have already imposed their own age limits. All seven elevens and “Pressbyrån” have 15 year age limit, and a large grocery store (Maxi Ica Stormarknad i Borlänge ) has now 18 year age limit on sales of energy drinks.
The Food Agency has gone out and made a statement that energy drinks should not be used for rehydration. The marketing is however unrestricted- and the question remains whether to do something about that, or just forbid minors buying them.
Caffeine is a cardiac stimulant which the body adapts to very quickly, and so one will need more and more. I am worried that young minds are more affected by addictive drugs, and they are not able to see the consequences, and therefore I believe that a growing mind should not be using high dose caffeine drinks that can ultimately affect the heart in a negative way.
My suggestions are as following:
• There should be a 15 year age limit on drinks containing more than 20mg/dl of caffeine. This means that weak coffee, dark eat, green tea and coca cola makes the cut, but that Red bull, monster Dark dog and Battery would have to find a new target group.
• Restrictions on sponsoring of events that largely consists of underage participants and audience, and use of social networking sites to promote age-restricted drinks.
• There is also a great need for studies on the effect of energy drinks, and in particular ingredients such as taurine and glukuronolakton.
• Caffeinated drinks should never be mixed with alcohol, and premixes’ should undergo heavy restrictions.