subject: Should Parents Learn To Juggle? [print this page] Boys, like girls, are beginning puberty earlier. According to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, in 2012 boys were entering puberty 6 months-2 years earlier. However, their judgment and other mental abilities weren't developing earlier. For Caucasian boys the average age was 10 and for African American boys it was 9. Although there's no specific explanation, researchers attributed it to the easy access of food. For girls early puberty has been linked to being overweight. Girls show physical signs they are beginning puberty - they develop breasts and start menstruation. Unfortunately, boys don't provide a "body of evidence".
Raw vegetables and cheese are recommended for children's snacks. In a study published in Pediatrics, 200 children in grades 3-6 were randomly assigned to snack on chips or raw vegetables and cheese. Those who ate the veggies and cheese ate about 70 fewer calories, but felt full. Vegetables are filling because they're high in fiber and cheese is filling because it's high in protein. Actually, this combination is healthy for the whole family if adults keep the cheese portion small due to its fat content. Think of raw vegetables and cheese as a way to "chip away at" unhealthy eating.
Bedroom televisions are unhealthy for children. A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine involved 396 children. Researchers measured the children's height, weight and waist; took their blood pressure; analyzed their blood; and examined fat deposits in their bodies. Those with bedroom TV's were 2 times likelier to be fat and almost 3 times likelier to be at risk for heart disease and diabetes. Children watching TV more than 5 hours daily were 2 times likelier to have fat around internal organs. Considering 70% of children watched TV in their bedrooms in 2010, parents weren't watching their children's health.
Bullying changes children's DNA. A study of 28 pairs of identical twins was published in the journal Psychological Medicine. Researchers found the level of the stress hormone cortisol was suppressed by bullying. That suppression resulted in a change in the structure surrounding a gene that regulates serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in mood regulation and depression. Thus children who had been bullied were less able to respond properly to the stress, which could affect their mental health later in life. However, dealing with the bullying and nurturing the victims may reverse the damage. We need to take "bullying by the horns".
