Hottest Kids Toy in 2011: Tablet Computers!

Forget flying radio-controlled fish and video game consoles -- the most in-demand kid's "toy" this year is the tablet computer! In fact, according to a new Nielsen research poll, the Apple iPad is the most-asked-for gift among children this holiday season. A whopping 44% of kids surveyed said they wanted an Ipad, up from just 30% last year.

The Consumer Electronics Association says that tablet devices are definitely the hottest gifts for the 2011 Christmas season. According to the CEA director of research Shawn DuBravac: 

 "Tablets, tablets, tablets and some more tablets on the side... Far and away, that will be the most popular item!" 

 He says that it's difficult to know for sure which of the many tablets on the market will end up being the true sales star in the US. The population is very diverse demographically. According to DuBravac:

"There’s going to be multiple tablets that will probably do well because there’s a large variation of consumers out there... They all want different things."

Many experts believe that younger children will be demanding the new LeapPad Explorer "learning tablet"... a device designed to help kids learn reading, writing, and math faster. Just don't tell them it's not really as cool as an iPad or Kindle Fire!

Learn some mo': Tablets are the new Cabbage Patch Kids

Kids Need More Vitamin D to Avoid Allergies & Asthma

Kids who have low levels of vitamin D tend to have more allergies, according to a new study from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University. They found that children with low or "deficient" vitamin D blood levels were a lot more sensitive to allergens than kids who had higher levels of the nutrient.

One example: children who had very little vitamin D in their bodies (less than 15 nanograms per milliliter of blood) were 240% more likely to have the dangerous peanut allergy that has become more common in recent years. Experts say that this confirms the findings of a 2007 Harvard study. That study showed more sunlight exposure reduces the risks of both allergies and asthma in children. The study also found that pregnant women with low vitamin D levels were much more likely to have babies with allergies and/or asthma than women with higher levels.

The bottom line: let your kids play outside in the sun more, give them more vitamin D-rich foods, and/or consider giving them vitamin D supplements. And do the same yourself if you're pregnant or nursing!

Learn some mo': Vitamin D deficiency may be a factor in development of allergies

Empty Calories Making US Kids Unhealthy

Empty calories are hurting the health of children and adolescent kids in the United States according to a new report from the American Dietetic Association. Experts say that the obesity epidemic among US kids has become one of the biggest public health problems. Many people that the solution will involve a combination of diet changes and physical exercise. But the biggest change that must be made now?

Stop the flow of empty calories into kids diets!

American children are simply consuming way too much energy in the form of empty calories, mainly from refined sugars and refined "white" grain products (like pizza and desserts). If your child is consuming large amounts of soda, chips, pizza, candies, and other junk food he or she is much more likely to be overweight and suffer from serious health problems later in life.

Another form of empty calories comes from low-quality fats like the trans-fats found in many processed foods. Many health experts believe that the combination of bad fats and bad carbs (especially simple sugars and refined flours) is especially dangerous because the carbs cause a spike in insulin production within the human body. This in turns causes the body to shuttle the empty calories from the fats and carbohydrates into the body fat cells, greatly increasing the amount of stored fat on a child

According to Dr. Rae-Ellen W. Kavey from the University of Rochester Medical Center:

"High added sugar consumption which occurs most commonly in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with a constellation of cardiovascular risk factors, both independently, and through the development of obesity. Multiple studies have shown that presence of these risk factors in childhood is associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and early cardiovascular disease. Randomized trials of nutritionist-guided interventions show us that diet change can be accomplished and is associated with important cardiovascular benefits. This combined body of evidence suggests that reducing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages should be considered a critical dietary approach to reducing cardiovascular risk in childhood."

Learn some mo': Flow of empty calories into children's food supply must be reduced

Study: Let Kids Find Own Passions

If you want your children to find their own personal "passion" you should avoid pressuring them, according to a new study from Montreal. Researchers found that kids who are allowed to explore various activities on their own tend to develop more natural, healthier passions for the things that suit them best, whether it be music, sports, reading, a certain school subject, or a hobby. Less pressure from parents allows children to identify the pursuit or pursuits that best suit them while also reducing the risk that a child will become unhealthily obsessed with a specific activity.

According to researcher and psychology professor Geneviève Mageau:

"Passion comes from a special fit between an activity and a person... You can't force that fit; it has to be found."

Learn some mo': From Music to Sports: Autonomy Fosters Passion Among Kids

Spanking Kids Makes Them More Well-Adjusted

Adults who remember being spanked as children tend to be more well-adjusted than those who don't, according to new research from Calvin College. Professor Marjorie Gunnoe -- who has studied spanking for over 10 years -- says that children who are spanked on their rear-ends with an open hand tend to do better academically, are more optimistic later in life, and even do more volunteer work! This research directly contradicts claims by some supposed "experts" that spanked children tend to be more aggressive and have other development problems.

To us, it sounds like this new research just supports what most parents the world over know in their hearts: a good spanking every now and then -- at the right moment -- teaches kids what is right and wrong and can help to keep them from becoming juvenile delinquents and/or loser adults!

Learn some mo': Is spanking children OK?

Exercise = Smarter Kids

Here's yet another reason to make sure your child gets enough exercise: young people who are fit tend to have significantly higher IQs and are more likely to attend college. That's according to a new study out of Sweden, which showed a clear link between being in good physical fitness and getting better results on IQ tests. The strongest links were for logical thinking and verbal comprehension abilities. Some experts believe that since regular exercise increases heart health and improves lung capacity, it leads to the brain getting more oxygen. This, theoretically, leads to healthier, smarter brain.

So get your kids of their butts and have them get some real exercise every day!

Learn some mo': Young Adults Who Exercise Get Higher IQ Scores

YOU Can Help Your Kids Lose Weight

In 1990, an important study on childhood obesity revealed that overweight kids have a much better chance of losing weight and keeping it off if their parents are directly involved in their weightloss and fitness efforts. Yet, 20 years later, obesity levels have skyrocketed in the United States and many other parts of the world. This has led to a huge jump in diabetes cases, heart disease, and other health issues related to having too much body fat.

The good news is that it's not too late to reverse the trends. Today's parents can still help their kids lose weight, reduce body fat, get fit, and enjoy good health. All it really takes is some realistic goals, a healthy eating plan in the home, and some fun exercise that (ideally) the entire family participates in.

Visit the links below to find out what you can do to help your child lose weight and keep it off:

5 ways to help your kids lose weight

7 Ways to Help Your Child Lose Weight

Tags: childhood obesity