New research is likely to give parents another reason to switch off the TV and send the kids outdoors it found that youngsters who are more fit may be better protected from allergies.
Scientists from the National Institutes of Health studied data on 4,111 children and young adults aged 2-19 and looked for total and allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) or antibody levels to a large panel of indoor, outdoor and food allergens.
They found obese children were about 26 percent more likely to have allergies and therefore IgE levels than children of normal weight.
“Seeing a possible link between obesity and allergies provides additional motivation for undertaking the challenge of reducing childhood obesity,” says Dr. said Linda Birnbaum, NIEHS director.
Parents who would like to better manage their childrens weight have a range of natural health resources to choose from. A proper diet, low in fat and refined sugars, as well as physical exercise and nutritional supplements can all help achieve that goal. 