Brief Bouts Of Exercise Cut Child Obesity

Taking the time to kick a soccer ball for 15 minutes after school could make a big difference in childhood obesity, say British and American researchers.

Participating in recreational activity for a brief period each day can reduce a child's chances of becoming obese by nearly 50 percent, says a study published online in PLoS Medicine.

The study was conducted by the ongoing Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, based out of the University of Bristol. It followed more than 5,500 12-year-olds by measuring their activity levels for 10 hours a day. Although eating the right food is crucial in staving off obesity, the researchers found getting good exercise establishes better long-term habits.

"What this research tells us is we must not forget about activity. It's been really surprising to us how even small amounts of exercise appear to have dramatic results," head researcher Chris Riddoch said in a statement.

Experts suggest walking your child to school, rather than driving, could be a simple way to improve the future of your child. Keeping any activity at least as vigorous as a brisk walk is also important, experts said.

Ibuprofen Best for Kids' Bumps and Bruises

The next time your kid complains of pain from a bump or bruise, you should reach for ibuprofen instead of acetaminophen, according to new Canadian research. The University of Ottawa conducted a study of 300 children who showed up at the emergency room suffering from various musculoskeletal injuries, and the study showed that ibuprofen (brand name Motrin or Advil) helped their pain significantly better than acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol) or even codeine.

The children in the study, who ranged in age from 6 to 17, suffered from sprains, bruises, or fractures of the extremities, back, or neck. They randomly received oral doses of either 15 milligrams of acetaminophen, 10 milligrams of ibuprofen, or 1 milligram of codeine. None of the children, parents, or research assistants knew what was administered.

A pain scale of 1 equated no pain with 100 being the worst pain was used. There were no real differences during the first 30 minutes among the three groups, but after 60 minutes, the codeine kids reported an 11-point decline in pain, the acetaminophen kids a 12-point decline, while the ibuprofen kids reported double the reduction with a 24-point decline.

“If I had to pick one of the three to give to a patient, ibuprofen is the one I would give,” said Eric Clark, the study’s principal investigator.

Growth Hormone Linked To Diabetes

Use of growth hormone to boost athletic performance may lead to an increased diabetes risk, according to researchers in Britain.

The study reports the case of a 36-year-old professional bodybuilder who within one year lost a great deal of weight and experienced excessive urination, thirst and appetite, according to study authors James Young and Aresh Anwar of University Hospital Coventry and Warwick.

The bodybuilder required emergency care for chest pain, and he admitted to using anabolic steroids for 15 years and artificial growth hormone for the past three.

Tests revealed that the bodybuilder's liver was inflamed, his kidneys were enlarged and that he had very high blood sugar. He was also dehydrated and diagnosed with diabetes, but after being rehydrated and given insulin over five days his symptoms completely cleared up, and he was no longer diabetic, according to the researchers.

The authors believe that this is the first reported case of diabetes associated with the use of high-dose growth hormone, and they urge anyone taking high doses to regularly check their blood-sugar levels, according to the study published ahead of print in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.