In the preventive medicine field, the focus of many interventions is on modifiable risk factors.  That is, things you do or conditions you have that you can change.  For example, you can quit smoking, be physically active, and eat a healthy diet to reduce risks for many chronic diseases.  You can further reduce risks by controlling things like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes by taking medications as well as adopting healthier habits.  Then there are those unmodifiable health risks – age, race, gender, and family history (aka genetic make up).  These are things we are stuck with.  Or

You've probably seen or heard the public service announcements touting the American Cancer Society (ACS) as the Official Sponsor of Birthdays. In an effort to celebrate life and the progress in the fight against cancer, the ACS has created a campaign to encourage people to declare the ACS the official sponsor of their birthday and help raise money to continue to find cancer cures. Because a birthday's not much without cake, the ACS teamed up with The Culinary Institute of America (CIA) to create a better-for-you birthday cake. CIA baking and pastry students were challenged with creating a healthy, reduced-calorie cake, which would be judged

I don’t know how many of you out there are fans of the summertime reality TV show, “So You Think You Can Dance.”  I sure am.  And if you watched it last week, you’d know why.  Two of the contestants performed a dance about a woman dealing with breast cancer that was emotional, inspiring, and powerful.  Sorry, but the link to the YouTube clip of the dance has been removed because of a copyright claim by the prducution company.  You can tune in on Wednesday nights for the next two weeks to catch the remaining dancers dance their hearts out! We

KaBOOM, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing play back into children's lives, recently released its third annual list of "Playful City USA" communities. To make this list, communities must make creative commitments to the cause of play in the areas of quantity, quality and access. Quantity relates to the number of usable, open playspaces. For example, the Indianapolis Parks and Recreation department is conducting a study that would involve converting abandoned housing and vacant lots and turning them into urban mini parks. Quality involves subjective factors that encourage repeated use and make playspaces engaging, exciting, interesting, and fun. For example,

Increasing opportunities for active living is one of the tenets of the Stand Up & Eat web site.  About a year ago, when gas prices were at an all time high, we blogged about how energy efficient bicycle riding is compared to using a car – even a hybrid. In another blog, we linked to a video that showed that commuting by bike can be faster than public transportation and private car. And we have hinted that active commuting is a healthier way than driving to get to where you want to go. Now there is proof.  Well, sort of.

The Stand Up and Eat web site supports mindful eating – eating when you're physically hungry and stopping when you're full – as opposed to eating for psychological reasons (e.g., stress, excitement, etc.) or outside triggers. A major trigger for eating when not truly hungry is smelling or seeing food. So how might you limit this trigger? Keep your food in just one room of your house – your kitchen. And think about whether you are truly hungry before you open your refrigerator or pantry. Recent studies conducted by the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University

101 degrees.  Ugh!  And it is only the middle of July. Summer is upon us.  And here in Texas, that means you stay indoors – a lot.  This can be a problem because when you hide inside you’re closer to the fridge and the Laz-E-Boy.  Calorie balance can get really out of whack in the summer in the south.  Here are ways you can get up and/or get out during the hot months.  Remember, when it’s hot outside, your body needs more water.   Make sure you stay well-hydrated whether you choose to move indoors or outdoors.  Indoor at Home Pop

Food marketers have been blamed over and over for the rise in obesity among U.S. children. Television advertising, in-school marketing, product placements, kids clubs, toys and products with brand logos, and Internet web sites are just some of the channels used by marketers to reach kids and influence their food "wants" and purchases. In 2006 the Institute of Medicine concluded that, among children aged 2 to 11 years, television advertising influences food preferences and purchase requests for high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, patterns that are linked to childhood obesity. And a recent study conducted at Georgetown University1 showed that advergames (online computer

Last week I gave you links to senior-focused physical activity resources.  This week we are going to jump to the other end of the age spectrum – infants, toddlers, and pre-school age children.  Babies and little kids???  You bet! Just  as we have said that you are never too old to start being more active, you’re never too young.  But with children of this age, the focus of physical activity is less on calorie burning and more on motor skill development, bonding with caregivers, and learning the enjoyment of movement, and active play.    Infants and Toddlers According to the American

Each evening as I drive home from work, running errands, or playing at the park with my son I'm faced with the dreaded question… "What's for dinner?" Ugh. Something simple. Something healthy. And something fast. But not fast food. Whether you have one mouth to feed or a whole family of mouths, the answer to this question doesn't have to be difficult to come up with. There are many (almost too many) places to look for simple, healthy, and fast recipes that can often be made with the meat and fixings already in your kitchen. Here is a collection of