Health News
- More Overweight Teens Don't Consider Themselves Fat; The Problem Is That They Compare Themselves To Those Around Them
Another study has found that overweight teens in the U.S. don't realize they are overweight, and this lack of self-awareness has gotten worse in the past decade, Roberto A. Ferdman reports for The Washington Post The study, at Georgia State University,...
- Obese Children's Parents Say Kids Are 'about The Right Weight,' Likely Comparing Them To Other Kids Instead Of Growth Standards
Most parents of overweight children consider them to be "about the right weight," which poses a real concern because parents aren't likely to help their children change their behaviors toward weight reduction if they don't recognize there is a...
- Poll: Ky. Parents Think Children's School Lunches Are Very Or Somewhat Nutritious, But They Want More Scratch-made Options
Kentucky Health News Most Kentucky parents think school lunches are nutritious, but should offer more made from-scratch options, according to the latest Kentucky Health Issues Poll. The poll, taken Oct.8 through Nov. 6, found that 67 percent of Kentucky...
- Kentucky Parent Survey: We Could Do A Lot Better On School Meals, We're Very Much In Favor Of More Health Education
Fewer than 10 percent of Kentucky parents report that their child has ever walked or biked to school.When asked, only about one in four Kentucky parents describe the meals served at their child's schools or day care centers as being nutritious. Fewer...
- Rural Children Face More Health Risks; Most Parents Say Their Kids Are Healthy
Children in rural areas face more health challenges than those in urban parts of the country, and are more likely to be poor, more vulnerable to death from injuries, and more likely to use tobacco. Rural families also have more difficulty in gaining access...
Health News
Kentucky parents' overall perception of Kentucky children's health doesn't match the statistics, foundation survey finds
Many Kentucky parents' perception of their children's health doesn't match statistics, suggesting that many health problems are going undetected or untreated.
That is the upshot of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky's first Kentucky Parent Survey, conducted by the University of Virginia's Center for Survey Research this summer and released today.
Only 4 percent of Kentucky parents said a health professional had told them their child was obese, but the National Survey of Children's Health in 2007 found that almost 37 percent of Kentucky children were obese.
Just 5 percent of Kentucky parents said they had been told that their child had depression or anxiety, but about 25 percent of children 13 to 18 will have struggled with anxiety and 11 percent will have battled depression, according to a 2010 national study. And a recent study found that Kentucky teens were more likely than the national average to have attempted suicide.
About 17 percent of Kentucky parents reported that their child had decayed teeth or cavities, but a national survey of third graders in 2001-02 revealed that 35 percent had untreated dental issues.
Only 3 percent of parents said their child was diagnosed with a hearing problem, but 15 percent of children nationally have measurable hearing loss. And 14 percent reported being told their child had a vision problem, but about one in four preschoolers nationally have vision issues.
Parents also seem not to get enough advice from health care providers about how to treat their children's health issues, even though there are high rates of children suffering from tooth decay, vision problems, asthma, ADHD, depression/anxiety, obesity, hearing impairment and diabetes, the survey found.
While 92 percent of parents said their child had a regular doctor, just 80 percent said their child had a regular dental care provider. And a 74 percent majority of parents surveyed said they were always encouraged by their child's healthcare provider to ask questions during visits. "The exceptions are worth noting," said Susan Zepeda, president and CEO of the foundation. "If three in four parents said their child's provider always encouraged questions, this means that one in four were not always encouraged to ask questions." (Read more)
That is the upshot of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky's first Kentucky Parent Survey, conducted by the University of Virginia's Center for Survey Research this summer and released today.
Only 4 percent of Kentucky parents said a health professional had told them their child was obese, but the National Survey of Children's Health in 2007 found that almost 37 percent of Kentucky children were obese.
Just 5 percent of Kentucky parents said they had been told that their child had depression or anxiety, but about 25 percent of children 13 to 18 will have struggled with anxiety and 11 percent will have battled depression, according to a 2010 national study. And a recent study found that Kentucky teens were more likely than the national average to have attempted suicide.
About 17 percent of Kentucky parents reported that their child had decayed teeth or cavities, but a national survey of third graders in 2001-02 revealed that 35 percent had untreated dental issues.
Only 3 percent of parents said their child was diagnosed with a hearing problem, but 15 percent of children nationally have measurable hearing loss. And 14 percent reported being told their child had a vision problem, but about one in four preschoolers nationally have vision issues.
Parents also seem not to get enough advice from health care providers about how to treat their children's health issues, even though there are high rates of children suffering from tooth decay, vision problems, asthma, ADHD, depression/anxiety, obesity, hearing impairment and diabetes, the survey found.
While 92 percent of parents said their child had a regular doctor, just 80 percent said their child had a regular dental care provider. And a 74 percent majority of parents surveyed said they were always encouraged by their child's healthcare provider to ask questions during visits. "The exceptions are worth noting," said Susan Zepeda, president and CEO of the foundation. "If three in four parents said their child's provider always encouraged questions, this means that one in four were not always encouraged to ask questions." (Read more)
- More Overweight Teens Don't Consider Themselves Fat; The Problem Is That They Compare Themselves To Those Around Them
Another study has found that overweight teens in the U.S. don't realize they are overweight, and this lack of self-awareness has gotten worse in the past decade, Roberto A. Ferdman reports for The Washington Post The study, at Georgia State University,...
- Obese Children's Parents Say Kids Are 'about The Right Weight,' Likely Comparing Them To Other Kids Instead Of Growth Standards
Most parents of overweight children consider them to be "about the right weight," which poses a real concern because parents aren't likely to help their children change their behaviors toward weight reduction if they don't recognize there is a...
- Poll: Ky. Parents Think Children's School Lunches Are Very Or Somewhat Nutritious, But They Want More Scratch-made Options
Kentucky Health News Most Kentucky parents think school lunches are nutritious, but should offer more made from-scratch options, according to the latest Kentucky Health Issues Poll. The poll, taken Oct.8 through Nov. 6, found that 67 percent of Kentucky...
- Kentucky Parent Survey: We Could Do A Lot Better On School Meals, We're Very Much In Favor Of More Health Education
Fewer than 10 percent of Kentucky parents report that their child has ever walked or biked to school.When asked, only about one in four Kentucky parents describe the meals served at their child's schools or day care centers as being nutritious. Fewer...
- Rural Children Face More Health Risks; Most Parents Say Their Kids Are Healthy
Children in rural areas face more health challenges than those in urban parts of the country, and are more likely to be poor, more vulnerable to death from injuries, and more likely to use tobacco. Rural families also have more difficulty in gaining access...