"Skinny pill" for kids slammed by PE4Life fitness advocates

The Skinny Pill for Kids is getting a group of advocates for physical education all worked up. Developed by Edita Kaye, a controversial Florida radio talk show host who bills herself as “America’s Favorite Nutritionist,” the pill contains a mix of minerals, vitamins and herbs, including the herbal diuretic uva ursi, which the Physician’s Desk Reference says should not be given to children under 12. Since the pills are marketed as a supplement, not a drug, they are not subject to FDA trials. The non-profit group, PE4Life, says the launch of the Skinny Pill demonstrates the need for increased focus on improving physical education programs as the most effective way to improve the health and fitness levels of the nation’s children in grades K-12. For more on the group and its causes, go to www.pe4life.org.