Tools & Resources

At Growing Lean, we strive to stay on top of all of the latest research in teen and childhood obesity. Check back to this page regularly in order to see what the latest research might offer you or your child.

http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/index.htm
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website features a variety of articles and links on childhood nutrition and obesity, including a Child and Teen BMI calculator.

http://www.aap.org/obesity/index.html
This American Academy of Pediatrics site is dedicated to the prevention of childhood obesity. The site features a variety of resources designed to help pediatricians and families take action to prevent childhood obesity and improve the health status of those children overweight or obese.

http://www.acefitness.org/
This website was produced by the American Council on Exercise, a non-profit organization devoted to physical fitness as one of the keys to a long and productive life.

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/
This Department of Health and Human Services website offers a number of fun and useful features committed to helping the pickiest children and teens eat healthier.

http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/Resources/empoweringyouth.html
Empowering Youth with Nutrition & Physical Activity is a section within the USDA website dedicated to helping parents, teachers and kids educate youth on making healthy food and fitness choices.

http://www.futureofchildren.org/pubs-info2825/pubs-info_show.htm?doc_id=349724
This link leads to the Spring 2006 issue of the journal The Future of Children, published by the Woodrow Wilson Institute at Princeton University. The article "The Role of Parents in Preventing Childhood Obesity" offers a wealth of information relevant to everyday living.

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/116/2/473
This 2005 article from the medical journal Pediatrics emphasizes the fact that Type II diabetes, the variant commonly referred to as "adult Onset", has become epidemic among obese children and adolescents over the past twenty years. While aimed at medical professionals with specialized knowledge to accurately interpret, you may want to discuss it with your pediatrician.

http://www.nichq.org/childhood_obesity/index.html
This National Initiative for Children's Healthcare Quality website, a consortium including the Centers for Disease Control and the American Medical Association, features a Childhood Obesity Toolkit, as well as access to a free online community Childhood Obesity Action Network.

http://www.informedparent.com/articles/childhoodobesity.html
This article within the Informed Parent website (developed by a private pediatrics group), provides information on how to start a conversation with your children on obesity.

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/357/23/2325
The New England Journal of Medicine has several interesting sites and articles including this perspective from Dr. David Ludwig, titled "Childhood Obesity-The Shape of Things to Come". Dr. Ludwig explores how parents must take responsibility by providing high quality food, limiting television viewing, and modeling a healthful lifestyle.

http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2007/
This article from The Trust For America's Health discusses a recent report on the nation's failing Obesity policies and provides recommendations on combating this epidemic.

http://search.colostate.edu/
Simply go the this Colorado State University website and type in "childhood obesity" for a variety of sensible, easy-to-follow articles on how to help your child lose weight and stay healthy.

http://www.nutritionj.com/content/4/1/24
This 2005 article from Nutrition Journal offers a stark assessment of the individual impact and public health problems created by overweight and obese young people.

http://www.dietandcancerreport.org/
In this authoritative report from the American Institute for Cancer Research titled "Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective", the authors examine the role of maintaining a healthy body weight as a way to protect against cancer.

http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/obesity/
This Texas Department of State Health Services website features a variety of pages and reports on obesity, as well as various nutritional and physical activity strategies parents and children can implement.

http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/childhood_obesity_effects_physical_mental_health
While this website http://www.aboutourkids.org, authored by the staff of the New York University Child Study Center, offers an overview on childhood obesity, the section on obesity and mental health is of special interest.

http://www.mypyramid.gov/
This U.S.D.A. website features an updated food pyramid that can personalized for age, height, and weight. Two tracking features, one for food intake, the other for physical activity, allow users to record and better understand these key parameters of weight loss.

http://www.obesity.org/
This site maintained by The Obesity Society, is designed to provide ongoing education and information to clinical researchers and care providers in obesity treatment and prevention.

As parents, we understand how difficult it is to motivate our children to pursue a consistent physical fitness regime. Following you'll find a collection of links and fitness websites directed to children and teens.

http://www.bam.gov/index.html
BAM? Body and Mind, is a Center for Disease Control and Prevention website designed to appeal to children and adolescents. Featuring comic book-inspired design, the site offers interactive games, a fitness calendar and fun, practical advice to help kids stay fit and eat right.

http://www.4girls.gov/
This site from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services features tips, tools and information to help girls 10 to 16 stay fit and make healthy food choices. The downloadable "Teen Survival Guide" is packed with good strategies for girls facing these stressful years.

http://www.nflrush.com/health
Sponsored by the National Football League, this site encourages young people to "Play 60" and exercise for one hour per day. Young fans are motivated through games and workout tips from top NFL players.