The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

As summer is approaching many parents are searching for places for their children to actively spend their time - especially if they are overweight.  The last thing you want is for them to be digitally connected all summer. There are options. Most families believe summer is a time when their kids will be outside and more active, participating in sports and other healthy activities. From speaking with tens of thousands of parents of overweight children, adolescents and young adults, Wellspring admissions counselors know that most families with overweight kids believe that summer is a time when their kids are likely to be more active and to lose weight. Wouldn’t  it be helpful to study this? That’s what Dr. Paul von Hippel and colleagues from Ohio State University and Indiana University thought. So they put together a study of 5,380 children from 310 schools to determine which version of summer is more prevalent: Weight Loss: more daylight and warmer weather => more ...

We are hearing more about childhood obesity and teen obesity . More and more teens and kids are technically connected however not getting outside and exercise! Summer is almost here and it is time to get involved in physical education. During Physical Fitness Month, take the time to learn more about staying healthy and eating right. The Guard Fit Challenge and the Physical Fitness Month Did you know that May is National Physical Fitness and Sports month? What better time than the present to begin to help your teens understand the value and benefits of being physically fit. And thanks to the Army National Guard's Guard Fit Challenge, helping your teen set and achieve fitness goals has never been easier. Fitness Resources for Students, Young Adults, Teachers, and Parents Whether you are a student who is starting to think about fitness, a young adult passionate about reaching your fitness goals, a teacher who is looking to inspire students, or a parent looking for additional resource...

As Jamie Oliver's new show continues to explode with the reality of how unhealthy eating can effect our lives and shorten them, one of his recent episodes shocked us as he was told that "French fries count as a vegetable". Maybe this is not shocking to some dieticians, however to many people this was a moment of that left us scratching our heads. You mean greasy French fries are considered a veggie? Seems strange, however that is exactly what a food service director stated on Food Revolution in an elementary school in Huntington, West Virginia. So do French fries count as a vegetable? Yes, they do, according to the government . French fries have been on the list of "fresh" vegetables since 1996 under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act . They are considered fresh because they fall short of the guidelines that would qualify them as "processed." " When I found out that a French fry was considered a vegetable, it insulted me, it ups...

IU2U.org - It’s Up to You…. What a great informational website on child obesity, eating healthy, and learning about how to make healthy changes in your family’s diet. Live a Healthy Lifestyle by Dr. Oz Mehmet offers great advice on this fantastic website as well as other experts and professionals. KNOW THE FACTS - Today teens are eating more and participating less in physical activity than the healthy amounts experts recommend. What are kids eating - Kids’ Food has Excessive Sugar, Fat and Salt - learn more details here: http://iu2u.org/kids_food_trends.php Effects of Obesity - It’s not just a “weight problem.” Learn the many ways becoming obese at a young age can affect a child now and in the future. Click on the figure below to see the effects of childhood obesity. It’s Up 2 U! 12.5 million American children are obese. By 2010, this number will increase by 20%. Isn’t it time we make a change? Get on board with the Fit Kids Act today at http://iu2u.org/sign.php Then, check out the f...

I just read the most lovely and educational book called Grumble Bluff by Karen Bessey Pease . This tale tells of two young girls in that difficult and awkward stage of tweens - one is overweight and one has a horrific and painful situation she is living with. Both are bullied and teased relentlessly. Even reading how some kids are so mean made me feel so sad and angry on the inside. If you are a parent of a teen or tween - buy this book today - read it and have your child read it. You will feel warm inside at the end and then anxious for the second book. Kathy and Greta (characters) will become part of your family too - and what a great way to open lines of communication between you and your kids.

Learn more about keeping your kids in good health . Especially with more and more kids sitting behind their computer screens we need to encourage more activities! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRSGUZrOU_w Here is a recent News Article Seven ways to help your overweight teen On paper, the statistics are shocking enough: the obesity rate for teens has tripled over the past 25 years and with this increase an average weight, type 2 diabetes, once unknown in young people, is now diagnosed in 45 percent of all new cases involving children or teens. Medical experts fear that high blood pressure and heart disease could become increasingly prevalent among young adults, making this generation of teens the first to have potentially poorer health and shorter life spans than their parents. Seeing a young person you love struggle with overweight or obesity in the sensitive pre-teen or teen years is painful, frustrating and alarming — from watching them deal with cruel remarks to seeing them on the ...