Turns out there may be some truth behind the old adage that kids these days are growing up way too fast. Increasing numbers of girls are hitting puberty early.

Puberty normally starts between ages 9 and 16; girls may not notice any physical changes until 11 to 16 years of age. Today, however, some girls are starting to see changes as early as age 6 or 7.

A research team backed by the Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Centers (BCERC) originally set out to more clearly categorize girls into pubertal maturity stages. What they found was that among roughly 1,200 girls aged 6-8, many showed early breast and pubic hair development.

Ten percent of white girls at age 7 had “breast development to some extreme”, as did 23 percent of black and 15 percent of Hispanic girls. These numbers jumped to 18, 43 and 31 percent for 8-year-old participants. Authors agreed that these rates were much higher than 10 and 30 years ago.

Possible explanations include increased exposure to hormones, such as estrogen. Another hypothesis is that environmental pollutants such as BPAs and parabens may be pushing young girls into puberty. Genetic mutations, endocrine disorders and other health concerns are also on the list, but researcher Dr. Abby Hollander of Washington University’s School of Medicine says we can expect to wait for any real answers.

“If puberty happens earlier because girls are heavier, and gaining that weight is sending hormonal signals to start puberty earlier, is that really normal, or a sign of obesity, which is abnormal?” Hollander asked in an interview with ABC News. “It’s going to take a lot of follow-up to say whether this is really puberty."

Hollander and colleagues plan to further investigate ways the environment may affect the onset of puberty. Until then, read more from ABC News or see the study’s abstract in Pediatrics.

It’s no secret that a diet low in fat can help reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Cutting out fatty foods can also help you shed pounds, but what about the other guy—HDL?

Even after adopting a low-fat diet, heart attack survivors and those at-risk sometimes continue to struggle to boost HDL (“good”) cholesterol. A two-year study led by Dr. Gary Foster of Temple University’s Center for Obesity Research & Education suggests the solution may rest in a low-carb, Atkins style diet.

“When comparing these two popular weight loss plans, none of the existing research had included a comprehensive, long-term, behavioral support component,” Foster said in a news release. “For years, the conventional wisdom was that low-carb diets had a host of ill effects on health, but these results suggest that those concerns are unfounded.”

Although LDL was higher in low-carb dieters in the beginning, both groups had similar levels by the end of the study. There wasn’t a significant weight loss difference between the groups, either.

Low-carb dieters experienced a 23 percent increase in HDL compared to just 12 percent in those who ate less fat. These statistics are comparable to levels in people who rely on medication to regulate good cholesterol.

The reason behind these differences is still a mystery. As for which diet is best, the answer is both.

"It doesn't make a difference for weight loss how you get there," Foster told MSNBC. “Both of these are options. These diets work." The big goal, he said, should be developing good eating habits.

Want to know more? Read the study’s abstract in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

 

Do foods sold  with cartoon characters on the package taste better? In a Yale study, children preferred cartoon-endorsed foods to identical products in different packages.

Forty New Haven, Conn.,  four- to six-year olds participated in the study. They tried two samples of three different snack foods—graham crackers, fruit snacks, and carrots. Unbeknownst to the children, products within each group were identical foods in different packaging.

When asked which of each sample tasted better,  more than half of the children chose the snacks in cartoon-endorsed packaging. This number jumped to about 85 percent when asked which snacks they preferred.

Christina Roberto, a post-graduate student at Yale University and lead author of the study, says this is no accident. Companies use cartoons to push kids to choose their products.

Seems innocent enough, right? Wrong. One of the major concerns is when companies use characters to promote junk food rather than health food, which can lead to weight problems and poorer nutrition.

"The food industry spends $1.6 billion on youth-targeted marketing and, of that, 13 percent is dedicated to character licensing and cross-promoting," Roberto told ABC News. "For the most part, these foods are of poor nutritional quality."

Roberto suggests restricting what foods can use cartoon endorsements, but other experts, like registered dietitian Keith Thomas Ayoob of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, say parents need to take more responsibility.

"It has been shown to be successful that kids would eat a bag of carrots if their favorite character is on it. It's a tool. I have a hard time thinking these characters should be restricted,"he told ABC News. “I think parents have a whole lot more influence."

"We have a problem in America with sleep," Dr. Maurice Ohayon, director of the Stanford University Sleep Epidemiology Research Center, told ABC News in an interview. One in five Americans are "excessively sleepy". Sleep deprivation and sleep apnea top the list of culprits.

If you’re suffering from fatigue and irritability and frequently need naps throughout the day despite a full night’s sleep, then you may be affected by excessive sleepiness, also known as hypersomnia. You’re not alone, either. According to a recent study by Stanford University, as many as one in five Americans may be affected by the disorder.

Hypersomnia is more common in people under the age of 25; it’s also more common in women and people who are overweight or obese. Symptoms progress gradually, which makes this malady hard to detect.

Conditions such as sleep apnea and underlying sleep disorders may contribute to the problem, but the Stanford research team believes the real issue may be a general lack of sleep.

“Insufficient sleep is plaguing the American population and is one of the leading factors for excessive daytime sleepiness,” lead researcher Dr. Maurice Ohayon said in a press release. “Sleepiness is underestimated in its daily life consequences for the general population, for the shift workers and for the people reducing their amount of sleep for any kind of good reasons,” he says. “It is always a mistake to curtail your sleep.”

Instead of putting in overtime hours at the office, consider doing double time at the gym. Some employers are planning to offer financial incentives for employees to lose weight.

About two thirds of Americans over age 20 are overweight or obese, and this fact translates into a plethora of health problems such as diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease. A cheeseburger here and skipping a workout there, and before you know it your slacks are a little tighter than they were last year. Breaking these habits isn’t easy, either.

That’s where the Leonard Davis Institute’s Center for Health Incentives at the University Pennsylvania steps in. The center is dedicated to uncovering effective ways to push people toward good health.

Dr. Kevin Volpp, director of the program, says there’s been an explosion of interest in programs that encourage employees to live healthier lifestyles. According to an article by MSBC, about a third of U.S. companies are rewarding workers to enroll in get-healthy programs.

Enrollment has exploded, too. In workplaces like Ohio Health, almost half of the workforce in five hospitals is being rewarded to walk their way to fitness. Volpp says the key is finding an effective motivator.

“When trying to get people to lose weight, we’re basically asking them to do less of the things that on some level they enjoy,” he told Boston Magazine. And who doesn’t enjoy a little extra cash in the bank?

For now there have only been a handful of studies to investigate the effectiveness of these incentives. Results are mixed across the board. Some participants lose little or no weight, while others lose ten or more pounds in just a few months. As these programs grow and develop, Volpp believes attitudes will change and the programs will become more effective.

To read more, visit MSNBC or learn more about Volpp’s research at the Center for Health Incentives.

Nearly one in three pregnant women are also obese, which can lead to serious health problems for both mother and child. Exercise during pregnancy can help cut that risk, and a new study says yoga is a safe and healthy option.

The amount of weight a woman should gain during pregnancy varies. However, excessive weight gain can lead to high blood pressure and gestational diabetes, an increased likelihood of c-section, and other pregnancy complications.

Yoga helps you stay fit by targeting, toning and tightening specific muscle groups. It can help relieve stress, build strength and sculpt muscles. Even recent new moms Halle Berry, Gwyneth Paltrow and Madonna use yoga to stay slim.

Dr. Rachel Rohde, an orthopaedic surgeon and expecting mother herself, says yoga can be adapted to meet the needs of pregnant women.

“A pregnant woman's body goes through a lot of changes that will alter the way she practices yoga, whether she is a veteran or a beginner,” she said in an American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon (AAOS) news release. "Women who are expecting can benefit greatly from exercise, especially yoga -- they just need to be aware of their limitations."

If not done correctly, however, yoga can lead to injuries like neck, shoulder, spine and leg strain, not to mention overstretching. Rohde says these types of injuries can be avoided by changing to a more comfortable position.

“One of the best aspects of yoga is being in control of your body and having the ability to do each movement at your own pace,” she said. ““If you are unable to move into a difficult position, you always have the option to get into a resting pose if experiencing pain.”

There are other safe exercise options for pregnant women, too. The American Pregnancy Association recommends swimming, walking and light aerobics. The best way to find out what’s best for you is to know your capabilities, and consult a doctor to find your safest options.

Visit the American Pregnancy Association to learn more about top recommended exercises for pregnant women, or see Rohde’s interview in The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Despite the economic state of our nation, more Americans than ever are bringing home the bacon—to eat with eggs, on cheeseburgers, or sandwiched between two slabs of fried chicken. The new Double Down by KFC  has plenty of mouths watering, and plenty of nutritionists and cardiologists cringing and wondering what to do about the U.S. bacon infatuation.

One pound of bacon (16-20 medium slices) can contain as much as 81 grams of fat, most of which (68 grams) is heart-clogging saturated fat. The Double Down is loaded with 540 calories and 32 grams of fat (10 g saturated). The recommended daily limit for saturated fat is 16 grams.

Bacon’s saturated fat is different from the mono- and poly-unsaturated fats found in fish, nuts and olive or soybean oils. While these fats can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, too much saturated fat can clog arteries and increase the risk of heart attack. The high sodium levels (up to 10,487 mg per pound) can also cause a cholesterol spike.

The good news is you don’t have to choose between saving your heart and nurturing your soul. As with caffeine and sweets, the key to this affair of the heart (or the stomach) is moderation.

“As a flavoring and ingredient, [bacon is] wonderful,” dietitian Susan Moores of the American Dietetic Association told MSNBC. “As a diet mainstay, not so much.”

A few strips now and then won’t hurt you, and there are plenty of other options to help tide you over. Turkey bacon, for example, has about half the fat and sodium. Canadian bacon and reduced-sodium bacon are also healthier options. Traditional bacon isn’t completely off limits, either.

“It all boils down to: How much?,” Moores says.

For the full story on America’s most delicious love affair, visit MSNBC.

With a little push from consumers, PepsiCo is taking steps toward making their products healthier. The convenience food giant has set big nutritional goals for the future. Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo, announced Monday that the company will be making significant cuts in the amount of fat, sugar and sodium levels in its products.

Over the next 4-9 years, Pepsi will cut the average level of sodium and sugar in its products by 25 percent and fat will be reduced by 15 percent. In addition, Pepsi plans to increase the amount of whole grains, fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and seeds in its products. They also plan to eliminate full-sugar soft drink sales in schools by 2012.

Pepsi is the second-largest food and beverage company in the world, and reducing these inputs could have a huge impact on public health. Sugar and sodium reduction alone can reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

"We believe that a healthier future for all people and our planet means a more successful future for PepsiCo," Nooyi said in a news release.

PepsiCo owns Frito-Lay, Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade and Pepsi-Cola brands, and accounts for $43 billion in food sales. With companies like Kraft, Campbell’s and Coca-Cola following suit, more and more food producers are making an effort to meet consumer need.

"These commitments are shared by all of our businesses,” Nooyi said. “(They) reflect our focus on profitable, long-term growth and will guide us as we continue to build a portfolio of enjoyable and wholesome foods and beverages for consumers around the world."

Visit Pepsi’s website to check out what to expect from PepsiCo in the future.

Fast food and inactivity aren’t the only culprits for today's high obesity rates. A new class of EDCs (endocrine-disrupting chemicals) known as obesogens may be partly to blame.

Obesogens are chemicals that are believed to mimic and interrupt regular hormone function. Researchers say these chemicals can cause weight gain and lead to other major health problems like heart disease, diabetes or endocrine and metabolic disorders.

Obesogens can be found in food packaging, plastics, pesticides and chemicals, as well as some cosmetics. They include PCBs, BPA and pthalates. They can alter genes and pose as hormones that help regulate the body’s metabolism. Take estrogen, for example.

Estrogen, the “female hormone,” typically causes women to gain weight during menopause. When obesogens enter the body, they act like estrogen, reprogramming cells to become fat cells. The body will work to convert calories into fat cells, which produce more estrogen. If what researchers say about obesogens is true, diet and exercise may not be enough to lose weight.

Professor Bruce Blumberg, a biologist from the University of California-Irvine who coined the term, says the causes of obesity are complex, but that the problem is more prevalent in America. He has an idea why: “Elsewhere, the consumption of prepackaged foods is much lower,” he explained in a UCI press release. “Food is grown and eaten locally, and people are far less exposed to food additives and chemicals. These are all contributing factors.”

Obesogen research is a fairly new thing. It’s in its early stages now, but as more scientists accept the idea, more is discovered about the effects these chemicals play in interrupting endocrine function.

Until then, Blumberg suggests ditching the Tupperware. “Use glass and stainless steel instead of plastics to store fluids and foods,” he says, “and try to get locally grown produce, organic if possible.”

If a few vanity pounds are getting you down, it shouldn’t be about the ones on your hips. What you should be worrying about is visceral fat, which is the fat that sometimes surrounds the abdominal organs.

More women than men experience an increase in this type of fat, especially in the time following menopause. It is often responsible for the change in a woman’s body to an apple shape. In men, it may manifest itself as a “beer belly.”

Sometimes referred to as abdominal obesity, this fat is more dangerous than the subcutaneous fat that lies just under the skin. Fat cells produce hormones, including ones that can cause insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes. Visceral fat is also thought to increase the risk of heart disease, metabolic problems, and high blood pressure. It has also been linked to breast cancer.

It is quite possible for a person with a healthy weight and relatively trim waistline to have significant amounts of visceral fat. It can be hard to see because of where it lies; in some cases it can only be detected with an MRI.

According to the Mayo Clinic, lack of exercise and low metabolism isn’t necessarily the culprit. The problem, they say, may be genetics. If your family has a history of gaining weight around the middle, it may be a challenge for you, too. In women, hormonal changes during menopause also may cause a change in how fat is broken down and stored.

Rather than calculating your BMI, Mayo Clinic suggests simply measuring your waistline. A waist measurement of 35 inches or more, the clinic says, indicates an unhealthy concentration of abdominal fat.

One of the best things you can do for your body is exercise regularly, and, luckily, visceral fat responds well to working out. Daily moderate exercise along with strength training may be your best bet to battling the bulge.