Teasing and Obesity: A recent study published in the journal of Pediatric Obesity, showed that children who were teased or ridiculed about their weight increased their body mass by 33% or more each year compared to a similar group who had not been teased, reports Medical Xpress. The study, conducted by the National Institutes of Health, followed a cohort of 110 children for 15 years, starting when the children were approximately 12, and concluded that teasing does not motivate positive behavior change, and in fact causes children to gain more weight. In a complimentary article for NPR, Dr. Mara Gordon shares her experience as a family physician, feeling ill-equipped to talk to kids about weight. “I often feel totally unprepared to talk about it in a way that puts kids at ease,” she admits, and goes on to explore doctor’s tendencies to stigmatize kids with obesity.
Framing Infant Mortality: “An African American baby born in Youngstown, Ohio, has a higher infant mortality rate than a baby born in Iran,” remarked Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), one of the 23 Democrats currently running for president, during a CNN town hall over the weekend. The startling comment prompted Washington Post “Fact Checker” Salvador Rizzo to probe the comparison for it’s accuracy. “Ryan’s claim is accurate. The issue he’s flagging is weighty and worth a look…,” said Rizzo, who goes on to do a deep dive into black infant mortality in America. Looking at reasons for the health disparity Rizzo interviews Rahul Gupta, chief medical and health officer at March of Dimes, who shared that, ”the perception that you are of a different race does matter where your health care is concerned.”
Related articles:
The Hill: Candidates should follow Sen. Harris's lead on maternal health
First 5 LA: The Life-or-Death Crisis Facing Black Mothers and Babies
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Dads and Paid Leave: In a class-action lawsuit settled on Tuesday, JP Morgan will pay $5 million to thousands of male employees who filed for primary caregiver leave in the last seven years and were denied on the basis that men are preemptively not primary caregivers, as reported by NPR. JP Morgan has since updated their policy to be “gender neutral” allowing employees to change their status of primary or secondary caregiver over the course of the 16-week paid leave, as reported in Forbes. This victory could be a sign of changing times with the number of companies offering paternity leave rising from 21% to 30% in the last two years according to a 2018 survey, as reported in The New York Times. The case also sets a new precedent for gender norms and paid parental leave, as reported in the Washington Post. Fought for by lawyers at the American Civil Liberties Union, the lawsuit is the largest settlement ever recorded for parental leave, reports Fast Company.
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Politics and Current Events
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Measure EE: Los Angeles voters rejected Measure EE –– a parcel tax to fund Los Angeles Unified School District with an estimated $500 million –– in a special election on Tuesday, as reported in LAist and ABC 7. The measure –– which was put on the ballot as part of the LAUSD teachers strike settlement –– needed two-thirds majority to pass and came in at 45.78% as of early Wednesday morning, as reported in EdSource. Distrust in LAUSD’s ability to manage the funds, an organized opposition campaign led by the Los Angeles Chamber of Business and Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and a high voter turnout in historically conservative San Fernando Valley are possible reasons for the loss, as reported by Los Angeles Daily News.
Childcare Calculator: Following the release of her plan for universal child care in February, presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren unveiled a new tool to help individuals calculate how much they’d save on child care costs if her plan went into effect, as reported in New York Magazine. With a proposed “wealth tax” on people worth more than $50 million, Warren’s plan offers free child care for families making less than 200% of the federal poverty level and families making more than that would have their child care costs capped at 7% of a family’s income, as reported by Quartz. With Warren’s tool, individuals can plug in where they live, total family income and how many children they have or are planning to have to get a tangible understanding of how Warren’s plan would work for them.
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Just Chatting: Get ready for your heart to melt. This video of Deztin Pryor of Clarksville, Tennessee "talking" with his son Kingston has rightfully charmed the internet this week, after mom Shanieke posted it to her Facebook page and it went viral. The video is of dad engaging his toddler son in a critique of a television show he'd just finished. “They need to work on that, right?” Deztin asks. Being pre-verbal doesn't phase Kingston, who gives his feedback to Denztin without hesitation. Dad and Kingston go on to exchange ideas for more than minute, and their "chat" is one of the most adorable things you'll see all week.
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Image credit: Chava Sanchez
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Getting to Know You: In an autobographical piece published today, KPCC's Early Childhood Reporter Priska Neely shared her personal journey to becoming a reporter, and how her own childhood prepared her for her current role. "It’s strange to think how much my parents raised me for the job I have now," says Neely in the intro to the piece. Priska's mom was a kindergarten teacher and a home daycare provider, giving Priska an understanding of the importance of the first five years. Click here to learn more about Priska and here to like and retweet the article on Twitter.
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ICYMI: In Case You Missed It, More Great Reads
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