U.S. Kids Consuming Fewer Calories, Report Finds

“Hopefully if we teach children the importance of appropriate calorie intake and nutrient balance, we will reverse the obesity problem over the next several decades.”

China-US Project Allegedly Tested Genetically Modified 'Golden Rice' On Kids

China’s health authorities will investigate allegations that genetically modified rice was tested on Chinese children as part of a Sino-U.S. research project, state media said Tuesday.

The Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention investigation came after a report last month by environmental group Greenpeace claimed that a U.S. Department of Agriculture-backed study used 24 Chinese children aged between six and eight to test genetically modified “golden rice.”

Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine: Get Junk Food Out of 55 Million School Lunches

More than 55 million American children are returning to school. Many will arrive at their cafeterias only to find high-fat, cholesterol-laden meals waiting for them. PCRM is asking the White House to change that

Red Vines Black Licorice Recalled Over High Lead Levels

Hopefully these are not part of your diet, but because they are vegan, it is (technically) food, and it is health-related, Vegan Daily News feels obliged to post this!  One more reason to reach for fresh fruit not junk food at snack time!

California health officials are warning fans of the popular Red Vines black licorice candy not to eat the treats because they tested positive for high levels of lead.

Lead can be dangerous to pregnant women and young children. It is a heavy metal that can be toxic to developing organs and may impair neurological development. Long-term lead poisoning has been linked to learning disabilities and other problems in children. California officials warned that pregnant women and parents of children who may have eaten the candy to talk with their doctors to determine if medical testing is necessary.

Consumers who find the candy for sale are urged to call the CDPH complaint hotline at 1-800-495-3232.

Whole Foods Market Donating 57 Salad Bars To NYC Public Schools

Whole Foods Market is ensuring kids eat and stay healthy at school by donating 57 salad bars to New York City public schools, New York City’s Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s website announced.

Today, while at the opening of the new Whole Foods at East 57th Street, the popular all-natural grocery store announced it wants school children to have healthy options. So, they will provide over $300,000 worth of fruits and veggies throughout five boroughs.

Food Industry Ditches Trans Fats, Kids' Cholesterol Levels Drop

A study published last month in the Journal of the American Medical Association found a 28 percent drop in the prevalence of elevated total cholesterol among kids since the 1988-94 period, the heyday of trans fats.

So what spurred Big Food to ditch trans fats? The answer is pretty simple. In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration began requiring nutrition labels on foods to include amounts of added trans fats. Once forced to come clean about its use of trans fats, Big Food suddenly lost its appetite for using the heart-ruining product.

When Elmo Likes Apples, Kids Want Them Too

Apples became substantially more popular at lunch time among grade school children when the fruits carried pictures of the Sesame Street puppet Elmo, researchers said.

When the apples sported an Elmo sticker, the number of children, ages 8 to 11, taking apples with their lunches increased by about 65% compared with stickerless apples, 

Johnson & Johnson Removing Dangerous "Chemicals Of Concern" From Adult Toiletries

Johnson & Johnson plans to remove trace amounts of potentially cancer-causing and other dangerous chemicals from nearly all its adult toiletries and cosmetic products worldwide within 3 1/2 years. The health care giant late last year pledged to remove “chemicals of concern” from its baby products sold around the world.

80 Percent Of Public Schools Have Contracts With Coke Or Pepsi

Starting in the early 1990s, cash-strapped public schools began selling exclusive “pouring rights” to one or another Big Soda company, which would then supply all the beverages sold in on-site snack bars, stores, and soda machines as well as at sports events. Along with sugary drinks, of course, the companies also stuffed the schools with plenty of advertisements.

Supercharged Sweet Potato Could Save Lives In Africa

Vitamin A deficiency is a major public health issue in poor countries that results in more than 600,000 deaths a year among children under the age of five. In Africa, an estimated 42 percent of children in that demographic suffer from the deficiency. Uganda especially is a problematic area. Introduction of the cross-bred OSP (orange sweet potato) to Ugandan farming households increased vitamin A intakes among children and women and was associated with improved vitamin A status among children.

American Kids Downing More Diet Drinks

The number of U.S. children who drink sugar-free beverages has doubled in the past decade, a new study finds - though the health implications of the trend, if any, are unclear. However, animal research has raised some potential concerns. For instance, animals fed artificial sweeteners have shown weight gain - suggesting there could be some effect on metabolism. Before anyone can make widespread recommendations that kids should have diet drinks instead of sugary versions, she said there should be studies into the possible effects on weight and health.

School Junk Food Laws May Curb Kids' Obesity

Children in the study gained less weight from fifth through eighth grades if they lived in states with strong, consistent laws versus no laws governing snacks available in schools.  Also, children who were overweight or obese in fifth grade were more likely to reach a healthy weight by eighth grade if they lived in states with the strongest laws.