Study Finds Pizza Linked to Unwholesome Health Habits for Kids

Who doesn’t enjoy a delicious slice of pizza — or two or three? Whether you're trying to set the family pace by sticking to a healthier diet, a busy parent creating late-night meals for your kids, or simply looking for an enjoyable play-date meal, pizza can offer nutritious value when healthy ingredients are encouraged.

On average, after eating pizza:

• Children consume 84 more calories, 3 grams more saturated fat, and 134 milligrams more sodium than average.
• Teens took in an extra 230 calories, 5 grams saturated fat and 484 mg sodium on pizza days.

Read the Entire Article —  Study Finds Pizza Linked to Unwholesome Health Habits for Kids

Chicken Pox Parties and Lollipops are Unsafe, Says Experts

Up until about 10 years ago, the chicken pox was a very annoying, yet unavoidable part of childhood.

Most kids contracted this itchy, highly contagious infection from school or siblings, and once you have the chicken pox, the body builds immunity to it, and you never get it again.

The chicken pox vaccine is now a recommended part of the pediatric vaccination schedule, and ensures that no child has to go through the miserable few days of chicken pox ever again.

However, some parents are worried about over-vaccinating their children, and are going to extreme measures to avoid the shots.

Some parents in the United States are getting their kids together with friends infected with the chicken pox (called "pox parties") so they can contract the disease "naturally" without vaccination.

Others are going to greater lengths and are actually purchasing chicken pox-laced lollipops, vials of saliva and other products from the internet to avoid vaccines, but experts say both of these are very bad ideas.

Dr. Tim Jones, Tennessee State’s epidemiologist told Reuters Health, “They are putting at risk the people around them.”

He also added that shipping pox-laced lollipops and other items was “utterly inexcusable. In this case, these people who are buying and selling infected or contaminated body fluids from complete strangers. There are a bunch of things wrong with this.”

To learn more, read the full article: Chicken Pox Parties and Lollipops - How Parents are Putting Kids at Risk

Should Kids Really Have to Worry About High Cholesterol?

With childhood diabetes and obesity rates on the rise, it's not hard to see why medical professionals would be concerned about high cholesterol in children.

High cholesterol is a risk factor of heart disease, and usually affects middle-aged adults. Unfortunately, this health condition is hitting people younger and younger each year.

One doctor recently recommended that all children under the age of 10 be screened for high cholesterol, and those who have it should go on cholesterol-lowering drugs originally intended for adults.

The doctor claims that by doing this, the incidence of future heart disease cases could be lowered, but everybody doesn't agree.

Dr. LeFevre of the US Preventive Services Task Force, "Unfortunately, there is no evidence that starting a ten-year-old on cholesterol-lowering drugs will prevent heart disease 40 years later.”

To learn more, read the full article: High Cholesterol in Kids - Does Testing Make a Difference?

A Surprising Way to Keep Kids' Teeth Healthy This Halloween

Just the thought of a child eating a mountain of candy in one sitting is enough to send shivers down even the most fearless parents' spine.

However surprising it may be, this Halloween, dentists recommend that kids should indulge in candy one or two times, all to avoid unexpected dental care disasters.

Tooth decay is a common post-Halloween problem in many kids, and dentists say the reason is because they're constantly eating sweets, which creates the perfect environment for harmful bacteria to grow in.

Eating candy at once, however, doesn't have the same affect, and kids are more likely to brush their teeth after gorging on candy. Pediatric dentists also recommend scheduling a dental exam in the weeks following Halloween, to catch any early signs of tooth decay or cavities.


To learn more, read the full article: Teeth Friendly Tips for Halloween