2009/08/06

LEGAL jurisdictions the world over are pondering the limits of parental responsibility for juvenile delinquency. Clearly, what it means to be a "child" is very different from what it may have been even a generation or two ago. Today, the definition is entirely chronological -- the age of the individual -- and this can range from as young as 16 to as old as 21, based on the cultural mores of the societies concerned. In this country, 18 is taken as the threshold of adulthood -- except for the vote, where the entry level is 21. The Child Act 2001 specifies provisions with regard to individuals between the ages of 18 and 21, but to most intents and purposes -- and in the present context of the criminal charges facing 44 adolescents in connection with last weekend's anti-ISA demonstrations in Kuala Lumpur -- it's the 14-18 age bracket that's most in question.

By Coeli Carr Tuesday, Oct. 06, 2009

Ever wonder why some youngsters approach food as an adventure and others insist on mono-meals of mac 'n' cheese? Turns out kiddie palates don't happen by accident. Studies show that children prefer the flavors they experience early on, including while they're in the womb. A pediatrician is drawing on that research to help get more pregnant and nursing women to eat healthy, varied diets — because doing so will make their babies predisposed to eat what's good for them.

According to Alan Greene, a clinical professor of pediatrics at Stanford University and the author of the new Feeding Baby Green, children can acquire what he calls nutritional intelligence, which will help them choose healthy food later in life. And this intelligence springs from food imprinting, which begins during gestation. "How a child learns to eat is one of the most important health issues in this country," he says. "It's learned behavior."
(See nine kid foods to avoid.)