Report Slams Makers of Sugary Drinks for Targeting Kids

A new report claims that the makers of sugar-laden drinks such as sodas, sports drinks, energy drinks and fruit drinks take direct aim at children, particularly black and Hispanic kids, in their marketing campaigns.

Despite promises to improve their marketing practices, these companies still use tactics such as rewards for buying sugary drinks, community events, cause-related marketing, promotions and product placement in social media, according to researchers at the Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. The findings were slated to be presented Monday at the American Public Health Association's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. - MSN Health & Fitness

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Radio stations to get new guidance on avoiding sexually explicit songs

The BBC and commercial radio broadcasters will have to take more care with sexually explicit lyrics, particularly in songs by rap artists, as part of a continuing crackdown by Ofcom on content that is inappropriate for children.

UK radio broadcasters are to be issued with new guidance by the media regulator to address the problem of broadcasting sexually explicit lyrics at times when children are listening. | guardian.co.uk

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Violence more common among kids of combat veterans

A new study suggests that when parents are deployed in the military, their children are more than twice as likely to carry a weapon, join a gang or be involved in fights.
And that includes the daughters.

"This study raises serious concerns about an under-recognized consequence of war," said Sarah Reed, who led the research of military families in Washington state. - Yahoo! News

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Anti-rape activists slam Rihanna's 'We Found Love' video

An anti-rape group has condemned Rihanna's new video claiming it sends out the wrong message to women and is a "disgrace".

The raunchy "We Found Love" music video depicts a turbulent relationship between the Barbados songstress and her co-star, Dudley O'Shaughnessy, who looks strikingly similar to her ex, Chris Brown.  Read more...

Do boys really need the HPV vaccine?

The HPV virus is ridiculously easy to pass along. Because it’s not transmitted via body fluid, you can get it even if you diligently use condoms. It’s estimated that up to 70 percent of all sexually active men and women will get it at some point. Most won’t even know they ever had it. Some will get genital warts. Some – like I did – will develop precancerous cells in their cervixes. And some will go on to get cervical cancer. The virus has also been linked to other diseases — it’s no coincidence that the CDC’s recommendation comes on the heels of new research linking the HPV vaccine to the prevention of anal cancer.  - Salon.com

UN: World will miss economic benefit of 1.8 billion young people

The world is in danger of missing a golden opportunity for development and economic growth, a "demographic dividend", as the largest cohort of young people ever known see their most economically productive years wasted, a major UN population report warned on Wednesday.

The potential economic benefits of having such a large global population of young people will go unfulfilled, as a generation suffers from a lack of education, and investment in infrastructure and job creation, the authors said.   | guardian.co.uk

Obama's student loan debt-relief plan: Too good to be true?

The plan, to be implemented by executive authority alone, allows some 1.6 million students to cap their loan payments at 10 percent of their discretionary income starting in 2012. It also forgives the balance of student loans after 20 years of payments. Current law allows students to limit loan payments to 15 percent of income, forgiving debt after 25 years of payments, though few students are aware of this option. - CSMonitor.com

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Big Pharma Wants To Test Anthrax Vaccine On Children!

Big Pharma Wants To Test Anthrax Vaccine On Children!

Mike Adams - Government Anthrax Vaccine Testing on Healthy Children!

Kids Increasingly Staring at Glowing Screens, Study Finds

How much time are our youngest children spending in front of screens? Jeffrey Brown discusses new studies that chronicle the increasing use of digital devices by young children -- and the resulting health effects -- with James Steyer of Common Sense Media and Dr. Ari Brown of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Kids Increasingly Staring at Glowing Screens, Study Finds

TV, Video Games, and the Internet dominant in the lives of American children

Half of American children under eight now have access to mobile devices like iPhones and iPads. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no screen time for children under two, but numbers suggest they too are being increasingly exposed to television, computers and mobile devices.

A Common Sense Media report found another unexpected outcome of this phenomenon, what they are calling "the app gap": while half of the high-income parents surveyed have downloaded some form of mobile application for their children, one-third of lower-income parents do not know what an app is.

Al Jazeera's Kristen Saloomey reports from New York.

No escape from screen for children

New Study: College More Expensive Than Ever

Tuition and fees at four-year public colleges jumped by an average of 8.3 percent this year, according to the latest annual college cost survey. It reports that the cost of attending a state school now averages more than $17,000 per year.

New Study: College More Expensive Than Ever

HPV vaccine for boys recommended by US advisers

Boys should be routinely vaccinated against the human papillomavirus or HPV in an effort to protect them from oral, anal and penile cancers, and to extend protection of girls from cervical cancer, US vaccine advisers said on Tuesday.

The Advisory Committee on Immunisation Practices, which advises the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, voted unanimously to recommend routine use of Merck & Co's Gardasil in 11 and 12-year-old boys to fight the sexually transmitted virus, with 13 yes votes and one abstention.  | guardian.co.uk

Also watch:

• HPV Vaccine Cost $390.00 Dollars (And They're Recommending It For All Children You Say???) - YouTube

Black teens fight pressures of pre-marital sex

Listing the bombardment of negative media images and peer pressure as contributing factors, nearly half of Black teens feel pressured to have sex, according to a recent survey released by ESSENCE magazine and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. A series of questions were posed to 1,500 Black youth ages 13-21 gauging their attitudes on relationships, sex, dating and the effects on their decision making. 

Read more...

Gender-bending chemical BPA 'makes girls as young as 3 aggressive'

A common chemical used in products ranging from baby bottles to CD cases could be causing girls as young as three to become hyperactive and aggressive, researchers have claimed.

A study by leading U.S. scientists has found that those exposed to high levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in the womb are more likely to suffer from behavioural problems.

BPA, which is used to harden plastics, can be found in the lining of tins and bottles and the ends of knives and forks.  | Mail Online

Youth-led movement promotes unity, culture and peace across London's boundaries

Uni-Hood, a youth movement based in the UK, continues its mission to inspire Black youth to entrepreneurship, positive entertainment, and cultural awareness while promoting peace in London's boroughs through a series of community events in recent months.

“Proud to be Black” was the theme of a recent Uni-Hood event held Sept. 18 at Brixton Town Hall in an effort to educate young people on the value of being Black with hopes to serve as a deterrent to youth crime say organizers.  Final Call...

Children Who Hear Swear Words on TV (& radio) Are More Aggressive

When children are exposed to violence on TV and in video games, studies show they tend to become more aggressive themselves. But a new study reveals that even just exposure to swear words in media may lead children to become more physically aggressive as well. Read More...

What Reality TV Teaches Teen Girls

Of the many aspects of American culture reflected in reality television, actual reality is not one of them. But not every viewer knows that: a new survey by the Girl Scouts Research Institute finds that some 8 out of 10 girls who regularly watch "real-life" shows like Jersey Shore and The Hills or reality competitions like American Idol believe these programs are true to life, describing them as "mainly real and unscripted." Read More...

'Educational TV' for Babies? It Doesn't Exist

If there was any doubt that television is not a good use of toddlers' time, consider the findings of one study that drilled down into babies' understanding of what they were watching on TV. When groups of 6-, 12- and 18-month-olds watched cartoons played both forward and backward, so that the characters were doing everything in reverse, only the oldest babies showed a preference for the correct order. Read More...

Also read:

• TV Watching Is Bad for Babies' Brains

US doctors discourage videos for babies under two

The largest US pediatricians' group says some of the 50 or so studies on the topic have shown that screen viewing can be linked to slower language development.

- Yahoo! News

Cereal Crimes: Deceptive Marketing exposed in new report

A revelatory report released by The Cornucopia Institute, an organic industry watchdog, has stirred controversy in the natural foods marketing arena by highlighting abusive marketing practices by some of the nation’s largest breakfast cereal manufacturers. In some cases, companies such as Kellogg’s, Quaker Oats (PepsiCo), Barbara’s Bakery and Whole Foods Market are selling products contaminated with toxic agrichemicals and Monsanto’s genetically engineered organisms while promoting them as “natural.”

The new report, Cereal Crimes: How “Natural” Claims Deceive Consumers and Undermine the Organic Label—A Look Down the Cereal and Granola Aisle, explores this growing trend of marketing conventional foods as “natural” to lure health-conscious and eco-conscious consumers and their shopping dollars.  Reading more...

Keep your teen away from energy drinks: The dark side of energy drinks - risking your health for temporary stimulation

Some of the more common unwelcome side effects of energy drinks include elevated heart rates, hypertension, anxiety, headaches and interrupted sleep patterns. Earlier this year, a report in the medical journal Pediatrics warned against energy drinks and cited potential harms including heart palpitations, seizures, strokes and even sudden death.

Late last year, poison control centers started tracking energy drink overdoses and side effects nationwide. 677 cases occurred from October through December. The chart's list of reported energy drink-related symptoms included seizures, hallucinations, rapid heart rate, chest pain, high blood pressure and irritability.  Read more...

Schools contribute to childhood obesity

More and more kids today are eating diets high in fat, calories and sugar and low in nutritious, low calorie fruits and vegetables. One to two meals are eaten at school plus a snack, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for students to make healthy food choices. With schools providing many foods that are processed and with the marketing materials that bombard kids, it is much easier to choose a high calorie, high fat option than something that is full of nutrition and low in calories. In the last thirty years, childhood obesity has tripled. Twenty percent of children between ages six and eleven are obese. These kids are not just a few pounds overweight. This means that their weight is more likely to cause lifestyle diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol at very young ages.  Read more...

Protect our children - Teach them how to avoid the onslaught of STD vaccinations

The first step is to have your child write a waiver exempting him or her from all STD vaccinations and place it in his/her school file. As young as twelve, children have the authority to grant permission or to decline STD vaccinations. In the waiver, or letter, the child should make it clear that he or she is not to be pulled out of any classes for STD vaccination lectures or the administration of STD vaccinations. Parents can also write and sign a separate letter to be placed in the file stating that they are aware of their child's request and expect it to be followed, as AB 499 legally gives their child the right to decline STD vaccinations. These letters should be written by both sexes since Big Pharma intends to profit from boys as well. Furthermore, an updated letter should be written every new school year to ensure that the nurse is aware of your child's feelings and legal stance.  read more...

Bad for baby - Hazardous hidden chemicals lurk in the personal care products of children

Many parents these days are aware that spotlighting nutrition early in a baby's life can set the stage for lifelong health. A wide array of jarred baby foods at stores now come in organic options, and the word "natural" has been added to the packaging on many child products to stifle parental suspicions that what we buy for our little ones could be unhealthy for them. While nutrition becomes a prime focus for many parents, we rarely hear about what is lurking in the products used daily on their skin. Human skin is our largest organ and entrance to our bodies. Walk down the store aisle of any baby needs section, and there are tons of skin-related products -- baby bath, baby shampoo, baby wipes, baby lotion, diaper rash ointment, infant sunscreen -- and that is just for starters. These products are applied to our baby's skin multiple times every single day.  Read more...

Efforts to Combat High Infant Mortality Rate Among Blacks

The private nature of infant mortality has made it a quiet crisis, lacking the public discussion or high-profile campaigns that accompany cancer, autism or postpartum depression.

The infant mortality rate in the United States has long been near the bottom of the world’s industrialized countries. The nation’s current mark — 6.7 deaths per 1,000 live births — places it 46th in the world, according to a ranking by the Central Intelligence Agency.   - NYTimes.com

Comic Artist Re-Draws Islam With Secular Superheroes in “The 99”

“The 99,” the Islam-inspired comic series that Al-Mutawa launched eight years ago, has won a devoted worldwide audience, as well as a DC Comics crossover, a TV show and even a theme park in Kuwait (complete with big-headed mascots). “The 99” also got a shoutout from President Obama—which, naturally, woke up the usual professional Islamophobes, who managed to scare off the TV show’s slated U.S. broadcasters. It was an ironic attack for Al-Mutawa, after years of allegations that his art isn’t Muslim enough.   - COLORLINES