Switch to हिंदी

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

हिंदी
  • Health A-Z
  • Diabetes
  • Diseases
    • Type 1 Diabetes
    • Type 2 Diabetes
    • Cancer
    • Heart Attack
    • Pneumonia
    • Diseases A-Z
  • Diet & Fitness
    • Weight Management
    • Exercise & Body Building
    • Diet & Recipes
    • Yoga
  • Coronavirus
  • News
  • Pregnancy
    • Conceiving
    • Infertility
    • Labour & Delivery
    • Pregnancy week-by-week
    • Breastfeeding
    • Baby Names
  • Beauty
    • Skin
    • Hair
    • Grooming
  • Photos
  • Videos
Home / Health News / Know your child’s friends if obesity is a concern

Know your child’s friends if obesity is a concern

By: Agencies   | | Updated: March 4, 2015 5:20 pm
Tags: Childhood obesity  Children's health  In the news  
obese-child

Washington, Mar 4: A new study has revealed that friends may make the difference in keeping children active. As per the study, children being physically active with a friend may accomplish more than hearing encouragement or being active with a parent, which suggests that a peer-to-peer approach may be an effective way to increase physical activity among children. lead author Jessica Graus Woo said that they speculate that the social network of friendships is increasingly important in influencing behaviors as children get older and having physically active friends may make it easier for obese children to get involved with activities and lower the perceived barriers for doing so, while having a physically active family may not be as inspiring. (Read: What is making your kid obese?) Also Read - Genes linked to common brain disorder, Chiari 1 malformation, identified

Also Read - Kids turning hypertensive: Get your child screened for early detection



Regular physical activity is key to managing weight for both children and adults, but little is known about whether children and adolescents see benefits or barriers to getting the exercise they need. The issue is critical since about one in three American children and teens are overweight or obese, putting them at risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease, according to the American Heart Association. The most commonly-cited barriers to physical activity were feeling self-conscious (29 percent); lack of enjoyment (22 percent); poor health (22 percent); lack of self-discipline (21 percent); and lack of energy (21 percent). Family encouragement was high at 78 percent, but family and friends doing physical activities with kids were far lower, between 36 and 48 percent. (Read: Prevent childhood obesity with a Mediterranean diet) Also Read - Kids who take steroids at increased risk for diabetes: Know the other side effects of this medication

A friend getting involved was associated with significantly lower perceived barriers, including lack of interest, energy, enjoyment, equipment, skill, health and knowledge, where family participation or encouragement did not have this effect. Children age 12 and older were more likely to cite lack of time, lack of enjoyment and fear of injury than younger children. They were also more likely to recognize the value in being physically active to reduce the risk of disease. (Read: Is skipping meals making your child obese?)

Among those who reported that friends never or were almost never physically active with them, 38 percent were in the highest physically active category, but if friends joined in, 76 percent reported being in the highest physically active category. Woo added that clinically, much of the focus on increasing physical activity involves engaging the family and encouraging the patient to be more active, but this study suggests that encouragement may not be sufficient. Clinicians may also need to consider how to get children to be active with their friends. (Read: Obese children who begin a low-fat, plant-based vegan diet may lower their risk of heart disease)

Source: ANI

Photo source: Getty images

Published : March 4, 2015 2:39 pm | Updated:March 4, 2015 5:20 pm
Read Disclaimer

Stress - The gratitude stealer

Stress - The gratitude stealer

Cancer growth can now be slowed

Cancer growth can now be slowed

Please Wait. Article Loading ....

Coronavirus Updates

Coronavirus Updates

Stay Informed, Be Safe

  • Covid tongues: Many patients suffering from strange coronavirus symptoms not yet listed by WHO
  • Adverse events post Covid-19 vaccination: AIIMS' security guard admitted to ICU
  • COVID-19 Live Updates: Cases in India surge to 10,557,985 while death toll reaches 1,52,274
  • Delhi health workers suffer mild reaction post COVID-19 vaccine: What you should expect 
  • Rapid blood test predicts COVID-19 patients at high risk of severe disease: Study

Health Calculators

BMI Calculator
bmi Calculator
Ideal Body Weight
ideal body weight
Daily Calorie Intake
Daily calorie intake
Calories Burned
calories burned

Related Stories

Short duration of breast feeding increases child's risk of obesity by 4 times

Short duration of breast feeding increases child's risk of obesity by 4 times

Excess pregnancy weight gain, smoking, among vital factors for obesity in children

Excess pregnancy weight gain, smoking, among vital factors for obesity in children

Is skipping meals making your child obese?

Is skipping meals making your child obese?

Lack of sleep may be the leading cause of obesity in children

Lack of sleep may be the leading cause of obesity in children

South Asian boys more likely to be overweight finds Indian-origin researcher

South Asian boys more likely to be overweight finds Indian-origin researcher

Health News in Hindi

डायबिटीज रोगी जरूर लें विटामिन-सी वाली डाइट, ब्‍लड शुगर रहेगा कंट्रोल, पढ़ें डायबिटोलॉजिस्ट की सलाह

Delhi Corona Update: स्वास्थ्य मंत्री सत्येंद्र जैन ने कहा, दिल्ली में समाप्त हो गई कोरोनावायरस की तीसरी लहर, लेकिन….

Covid Vaccination: देश में कोरोना की 4 और स्‍वदेशी वैक्‍सीन का चल रहा है ट्रायल, स्‍वीकृति का है इंतजार

लिवर की गंदगी को साफ कर देता है करेले का जूस, जानिए कितनी मात्रा में पीना चाहिए Karela Juice

Castor Oil for Skin: अरंडी का तेल (कैस्टर ऑयल) डार्क सर्किल और मुंहासों के निशान दूर करने में कैसे है फायदेमंद? जानिए अप्लाई करने का सही तरीका

Read All

Recent Posts

  • Reiki: Japanese healing technique to improve physical and mental health
  • Covid tongues: Many patients suffering from strange coronavirus symptoms not yet listed by WHO
  • Weight loss diet: How to use coconut oil to reduce belly fat
  • Fitness matters: Increase your step counts when you are indoors
  • Adverse events post Covid-19 vaccination: AIIMS’ security guard admitted to ICU

About The health Site

TheHealthSite.com is India's largest health site with more than 40 lakh unique visitors per month. We focus on fitness, beauty, health, pregnancy and more.

Most popular health and wellness website in India in 2012 at the Website of the year awards.

health@corp.india.com
+91 – 22 – 6697 1234
Landline Phone number 91 – 22 – 2490 0302.

ZEE ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISES LTD, 18th floor, A-Wing, Marathon Futurex, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013.

Useful Links

  • Weight Loss
  • Keto Diet Tips
  • Skin Care Tips
  • Intermittent Fasting
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Ashwagandha
  • Cancer
  • Pneumonia
  • Diarrhoea
  • Dengue
  • Typhoid
  • Tuberculosis
  • Chickenpox
  • Chikungunya
  • Depression
  • Hepatitis
  • Diabetes
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Arthritis
  • Swine Flu
  • Baby Names
  • Cough and cold
  • Heart Attack
  • Breast Cancer
  • Ebola Virus
  • Dengue
  • Malaria
  • International Yoga Day
  • Hypotension
  • Heart Failure
  • Asthma
  • Brain Tumour
  • Celebrity Fitness
  • Goitre
  • HIV/AIDS

We respect your privacy

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Author Profiles

Copyright © 2021 Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved.