Health:Video Games aren't bad for children

A new report by the European Parliament Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection says that video games may be good for children, promoting cooperation and creativity.

The report, which found a number of benefits and no definitive link to aggressive behavior, counters the violent reputation of some titles, and may help reassure nervous parents of game addicts.

"Video games are in most cases not dangerous and can even contribute to the development of important skills," Toine Manders, the Dutch liberal lawmaker who authored the report, told Reuters.

"(They stimulate) learning of facts and skills such as strategic reflection, creativity, cooperation and a sense of innovation," said a news release about the findings.Rather than issuing a call for new legislation banning certain games, the report instead urged EU states to collaborate in strengthening the current voluntary code known as "PEGI", which rates games according to their content.

Last year, total revenues from the video gaming industry were more than seven billion euros ($9 billion), the report said. In Britain, video games outsold music and other video products for the first time last year, according to a separate study.

However, the EU report said that not all games are appropriate for children, and noted that some books and movies are targeted solely to an older audience. It also conceded that some games that contain violent content could "stimulate" aggressive behavior in certain situations.

The report emphasized parental involvement, and proposed the development of a "red button" to allow parental control of game content and the duration of play. However, the report did not provide specific details about what form such a button might take.

The report questioned prevailing wisdom that games were targeted mainly towards children, citing data that showed the European video game player is 33 years of age.

Source:Redorbit

Health: Nutrition In Childhood

Childhood & teenage is the most important time in a person’s life. After birth the increased growth rate of the child continues up to 18-19 years of age. Thus the amount of nutrients needed for a child is much greater than an adult. At this age the physiological development of the person is not complete, so the person is not very aware of maintaining a balanced diet rich in the nutrients needed by the body. As a result, the person fails to obtain the nutrients in the food needed by the body. Owing to fewer nutrients the body becomes weak; the person can suffer from serious diseases, and many times the patient have to live the rest of his life with his or her body thin & weak. So the responsibility of the parents towards their children is more. They have to be very careful about the food their children eat.

The rate of growth is the fastest in females from 11-13 years and in males 13-15 years. The amount of nutrients needed by the body is not same for all. We have to consider the person’s sex, age, the rate of growth to know the demand of food needed by the person. The more the rate of growth the more food is needed. The growth & development of the body depends a lot on food.

Nutrients that are required to be in the food eaten by the children:

• There must be enough calories to provide the working energy.
• There must be enough proteins for repair & fast growth of the body.
• As the bones & teeth develop in this age, so there must be sufficient minerals & vitamin D in the diet.

In many countries children of this age suffer from the lack of nutrients mostly protein, calcium, iron, & vitamin A, whose main cause is poorness, lack of knowledge on food nutrients, and lack of a good appetite. In this age the children spend most of their time in school & the amount of food they eat there is inadequate for their body. Amount of food a 10-12 year old child should ingest everyday are as follows:

· 320g fiber

· 60g split peas

· 100g fruit

· 50g milk

· 200g fish or meat

· 130g oil or butter

Lack of the above mentioned items can be harmful.

If the child does not like to eat then vitamin D capsule can be provided but the age must be considered. The demand of food by the body is very high in this age even though the child has low appetite. So take care of your child very well and make him understand the necessity of food that he must eat to keep his health good.