HealthWise

Obesity Report: Our Children are at Risk

Obesity is becoming an epidemic - and not just for adults. In the last 20 years, the numbers of obese and overweight children and teens has doubled and according to national statistics, more than 15 percent of children are now obese or overweight.

Why the increase? Children are following in their parent's footsteps. Worldwide, over 1 billion adults are overweight, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In America, 64 percent of adults were obese or overweight in 2000, according to a report by the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

And this isn't just an issue of playground teasing. Obese children have increased risk for heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, stroke and cancer.

The good news is, when parents make changes, kids benefit. Research from the American Institute for Cancer found that when parents took part in an educational program, children lost weight and 60 percent of the kids studied were no longer obese after seven years.

So what can you do to help the children in your life?

Tips for healthy kids:

• Encourage healthy eating - provide plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins.
• Limit "sit down" activities like television and video games - no more than 2 hours a day. Suggest physical activities instead.
• Ask your child's pediatrician to calculate your child's Body Mass Index (BMI) to see if your child's height and weight are in balance.

Be a role model. Show kids how you bring health into your own life.

Breast Cancer and Olive Oil

The evidence for good fats seems to keep getting stronger. A new study shows that olive oil may help reduce the risk of breast cancer.

Olive oil is the strongest natural source of oleic acid, an important fatty acid. Researchers found that oleic acid helps limit protein production by the breast cancer gene Her-2/neu. This gene is linked with aggressive cases of breast cancer and is found in more than one-fifth of women breast cancer patients.

Oleic acid appeared to reduce these cancer proteins by up to 36 percent rivaling results from breast cancer drugs, such as Herceptin, which reduce proteins by up to 48 percent. Surprisingly, researchers found that combining olive oil’s oleic acid with breast cancer drugs resulted in a total of 70 percent less cancer protein production a much higher percentage that either approach alone.

This study, published in the January 10, 2005 Annals of Oncology, supports previous studies that a Mediterranean diet including fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and good fats like olive oil, may help reduce risk of diseases including cancer.

Get Enough Olive Oil:
Stir fry - toss together your favorite lean meat and vegetables, with a splash of olive oil for a fast, healthy and delicious meal.

Salad dressing - when reaching for salad dressing, go with Italian vinaigrette. Make sure it’s made with real olive oil.

Tomato sauce - make your own and add plenty of extra olive oil. Adding fresh herbs, garlic, onions and tomatoes will also boost the health benefits and flavor.

Break bread with friends - grab a crisp loaf of whole grain bread and drizzle with olive oil, garlic and your favorite seasonings.

Famous Pecan Cheesecake

Total Time: 2 hr
Makes: 18-24 servings

Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds Philadelphia Brand Cream Cheese (room temperature)
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
5 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
2 cups finely chopped pecans (more or less to taste)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 package ready to cook Sugar Cookie dough (in the dairy case)

Preparation:
Cream the cheese in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, add the sugar, flour, vanilla and beat well.

Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating lightly after each addition. Add the pecans and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add the heavy cream, beat lightly and set mixture aside.

Preheat oven as per cookie dough package instructions. Butter the base and sides of a 9 or 10-inch spring form pan and remove the sides from the pan. Roll out enough of the cookie dough to cover the bottom of the pan about 1/8-inch thick, fit over the bottom of the pan and trim by running a rolling pin over the edges. Bake for time called for on cookie dough package or till golden, and let cool.

Increase oven heat to 550 degrees F. Place the sides of the pan over the base. Roll the remaining cookie dough 1/8-inch thick, cut into strips to fit almost to the top of the sides of the pan and press so that the strips line the sides completely.

Fill the pan with the cheese mixture, bake for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 degrees F, and continue baking for 1 hour. [Cooking time may vary from oven to oven - check with toothpick]

Allow to cool on cooling rack. To serve, remove the sides of the pan very carefully and cut

Notes:
To make a plain Cheesecake, replace pecans with
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon rinds,
and 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange rind...