The Checkup: January 16, 2011 - January 22, 2011

Is that right? McDonald's oatmeal is 'a bowl full of wholesome'?

McDonalds restaurants across the land (not just the limited number involved in last year's launch) are serving Fruit & Maple Oatmeal, not just at breakfast time, but throughout the day. You can order it with or without brown sugar and light cream; I skipped both when I had my first cup of the stuff, this morning after yoga class. I say first cup, because I plan to get it again.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget  | January 21, 2011; 7:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (6)
Categories:  Is That Right?, Nutrition and Fitness  
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Modern Family: When kids walk in during sex

I cannot believe that the blogosphere is not buzzing itself silly about last night's (hilarious) episode of Modern Family, which raised the all-important question: What should parents do if their kids walk in on them during sex?

By Jennifer LaRue Huget  | January 20, 2011; 1:29 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (13)
Categories:  Family Health, Kids' health, Life's Big Questions, Parenting, Psychology, Reproductive Health, Sex, Teens  
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Wal-Mart moves toward better nutrition

People will quibble with all kinds of things, from the seemingly lengthy phase-in period to Wal-Mart's business practices. I say let's give credit where credit is due: Wal-Mart is doing what nutrition folks have been urging everyone in the food industry to do, which is to make it easier for Americans -- two thirds of us overweight or obese -- to make better food choices. Way to go, Wal-Mart.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget  | January 20, 2011; 9:07 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (3)
 
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USDA's Food Atlas maps out Americans' food environment

If either of those topics -- or scads of others related to the way Americans eat --is of interest to you, then carve out an hour to tool around the federal government's highly addictive U.S. Food Environment Atlas Web site.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget  | January 20, 2011; 7:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  Health News, Health Policy, Minority health, Nutrition and Fitness, Obesity  
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Antidepressants relieve hot flashes

An antidepressant can help alleviate hot flashes that plague many menopausal women, according to new federally funded research. A study involving 205 women found those taking the antidepressant Lexapro experienced a 47 percent reduction in number of hot flashes they were experiencing and the hot flashes they did have tended...

By Rob Stein  | January 18, 2011; 4:00 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (3)
Categories:  Add category, Women's Health, hormones, menopause  
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Is food addiction real?

Even if there is such a thing as food addiction, it's not likely that all or even most of the people in the U.S. who are obese or overweight suffer from such an affliction. While some people may have genetic or other forms of predisposition to addiction, others of us just plain overindulge, and we can't blame our neurochemistry for our decisions to eat more than we should.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget  | January 18, 2011; 7:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (9)
Categories:  Alcohol and Drugs, Drug Abuse, Eating disorders, Neurological disorders, Nutrition and Fitness, Obesity, Psychology, Weight loss  
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U.K. experts question 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding

Nobody's questioning the value of breastfeeding babies. The benefits of that practice are clear and well-established, the study's authors emphasize. What's less clear is whether all or even most babies benefit from consuming nothing but breast milk until they turn six months old.

By Jennifer LaRue Huget  | January 17, 2011; 7:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (25)
Categories:  Childhood obesity, Family Health, Infant health, Kids' health, Motherhood, Obesity, Parenting, Women's Health  
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