Daily Rounds: Paying For Obesity; Winter Workouts; Rethinking Daily Aspirin; Beached Dolphins

Learning To Be Lean (The New York Times) "With about one in three children in the United States obese or overweight, according to government statistics, the need for such programs is clear. But, experts say, creating them will be challenging. Other than intensive hospital-based programs, few proven models exist for helping children and adolescents achieve and maintain a healthier weight, and researchers do not even fully understand the factors that contributed to the rapid rise in childhood obesity in recent years. “If this were easy, if there were clear outcomes for success, we would be investing in these,” said Dr. Samuel R. Nussbaum, the chief medical officer for WellPoint, one of the nation’s largest health insurers."

Conquering the chilly workouts of winter (Reuters) "As the outside temperature plummets, so too can the will to brave the elements for outdoor exercise. Experts say as long as you layer up, drink up and tune into how cold is just too cold it shouldn't impact your fitness."Come with a different game plan for the winter," advises Jessica Matthews, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise (ACE)."Motivation tends to wane a bit, so explore different activities, including things you can do in your own home. Have a flexible approach to your fitness routine as the weather changes."

The Challenge Of Measuring Relief Aid To Haiti : NPR (npr.org) "But as the pace of recovery in Haiti drags on, those whose lives have not changed are angry. Much of that anger is directed at the NGOs.Pierre Jean Nelson has been living in a tent for two years and is out of patience."What are they going to do with us because we can't suffer anymore ... we can't take it anymore ... it's too much," he says.He can't find a job and spends most of his days playing his rusted bongo. A small stream of foul smelling water runs beside him.He wants to know where all the money has gone."

Daily Aspirin Is Not for Everyone, Study Suggests - NYTimes.com (ell.blogs.nytimes.com) "Over all, for every 162 people who took aspirin, the drug prevented one nonfatal heart attack, but caused about two serious bleeding episodes.“We have been able to show quite convincingly that in people without a previous heart attack or stroke, regular use of aspirin may be more harmful than it is beneficial,” said Dr. Sreenivasa Seshasai of the Cardiovascular Sciences Research Center at St. George’s, University of London.The findings are likely to add to the confusion about who should regularly take aspirin and who should not."

Close to 50 dolphins have been stranded on Cape Cod beaches since Thursday - Metro Desk - Local news updates from The Boston Globe (boston.com) "Researchers aren’t sure why these dolphins came ashore but evidence suggests that the pack mentality negatively affects the mammals when one heads for shallow waters and the others follow."