Sleep is one of the holy grails of feeling good each day. Get too much and you may feel groggy and sluggish. Get too little and you may feel irritable, depressed, anxious, unable to focus and plain old sleepy In fact, a growing body of evidence shows that sleep problems increase one’s risk for chronic conditions such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes. [Read more…]
How much sleep you need
February 19, 2015 By Leave a Comment
New policy: Doctors should encourage early literacy
February 4, 2015 By Leave a Comment
Evidence established long ago that reading to young children – especially if you engage in a dialogue with them while you’re reading – helps them develop language skills and prepare for school.
Now the American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a new policy encouraging doctors to talk with parents about reading aloud to children, and providing books to low-income families at pediatric well visits. [Read more…]
Recess before lunch to improve eating habits?
January 30, 2015 By 2 Comments
When my son started kindergarten last year, I was astonished at how little of his lunch he actually ate. I would pack a nutritious meal displayed in a cute, compartmentalized tray, and often he only took a small bite of each item I packed. [Read more…]
The link between body image and media
January 14, 2015 By Leave a Comment
On a daily basis, we are surrounded by unrealistic images of women: celebrities on the covers of gossip magazines, animated cartoons depicting attractive female characters, and models advertising beauty supplies, to name a few. How do all of these images affect how women view their own bodies? [Read more…]
Evidence-based health: Lose those extra pounds now
January 5, 2015 By 1 Comment
Christmas cookies are my worst dietary weakness. If they’re in the house, I can’t help but munch on them. So I’m coming back from a lovely holiday break at least a few pounds heavier than before. [Read more…]
Should kids wear seat belts on the school bus?
December 11, 2014 By 3 Comments
The town where I live – Ithaca, NY – had six inches of snowfall this week during a school day. The snow storm prompted a vigorous debate among a group of moms about whether children should wear safety belts on school buses. [Read more…]
An evidence-based education resource
November 20, 2014 By Leave a Comment
This year, I have a child in first grade and another in preschool. As I become more entrenched in school life every year, I have more and more questions about whether our schools are using evidence in making decisions and developing policies. [Read more…]
Exploring the link between diet and mental health in kids
November 13, 2014 By 1 Comment
Over the past 30 years, the rate of childhood obesity has more than doubled in the United States, increasing the risks for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and joint problems. Last month, a new systematic review found obesity among kids is associated with yet another health problem. [Read more…]
What we know about homework
October 7, 2014 By 1 Comment
Now that the school year is back in full swing, I find that our family needs to make time for homework almost every night of the week. And it’s got me wondering how much homework impacts children’s achievement in school. [Read more…]
How important is breakfast, Part 2
September 5, 2014 By 4 Comments
Earlier this week, we wrote about the body of evidence that shows eating breakfast does not lead to weight loss. But does eating breakfast impact cognitive function and learning? As my kids head back to school this week, it’s certainly a question on my mind.
New data on kids’ well-being
August 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Ensuring our youth grow up in healthy supportive environments is an important part of building a strong future for any society. Even here in the United States, there are significant disparities in child well-being. [Read more…]
Evidenced-based learning: Play, play, play
August 12, 2014 By Leave a Comment
My two oldest children received letters in the mail this week from their teachers – a sure sign that “back-to-school” is creeping closer. As I start wrapping my head around school supplies and book schedules, I thought back to this post about the importance of play in learning. I’m hoping that my kids’ teachers keep in mind the importance of play in the classroom this year.
