Childhood obesity link to parentsJuly 13, 2009Like father, like son -- new research points to gender relationships between parents and their children as vital factor in childhood obesity The relationships between children and their parent of the same gender in the earliest years of life could be the key to understanding why some young people become obese and others do not, new research conducted by the EarlyBird Diabetes Study has shown. A study published today in the International Journal of Obesity indicates that girls whose mothers are classified as clinically obese are significantly more likely to struggle with weight problems in childhood, with a similar relationship existing between obese fathers and their sons. The findings showed that the same trend does not exist between mothers and their sons and fathers and their daughters - meaning that behavioural, rather than genetic, factors could be the key to unravelling the causes of the current obesity epidemic affecting children in the UK. The Study's Director, Professor Terry Wilkin said: "Any genetic link between obese parents and their children would be indiscriminate of gender. The clearly defined gender-assortative pattern which our research has uncovered is an exciting one because it points towards behavioural factors at work in childhood obesity. "These findings could turn our thinking on childhood obesity dramatically on its head. Money and resources have focussed on children over the past decade in the belief that obese children become obese adults, and that prevention of obesity in children will solve the problem in adulthood. EarlyBird's evidence supports the opposite hypothesis - that children are becoming obese due to the influence of their same-sex parents, and that we will need to focus on changing the behaviour of the adult if we want to combat obesity in the child." The Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry |
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| Related Childhood Obesity Current Events and Childhood Obesity News Articles Teens' mental health affects how long they stay in school, new study shows Queen's University researcher Steven Lehrer has won a prestigious international award in recognition of his contributions to health economics. Physical education key to improving health in low-income adolescents School-based physical education plays a key role in curbing obesity and improving fitness among adolescents from low-income communities, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and UC Berkeley. TV bombards children with commercials for high-fat and high-sugar foods Childhood obesity in the United States is reaching epidemic proportions. With more than one fourth of advertising on daytime and prime time television devoted to foods and beverages and continuing questions about the role television plays in obesity. Study: Lap band surgery effective for morbidly obese children A surgeon at Children's National Medical Center and his colleagues from New York University have found laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (Lap band) to improve the health of morbidly obese adolescents. ISU study finds intervention program helps kids eat healthier, reduce screen time A new Iowa State University study found that a family, school and community intervention program helps children live healthier lives and could be a new tool in the fight against the nation's childhood obesity epidemic. UNC study: Color-coded chart improves parents' understanding of body mass index (BMI) In the study, published in the September/October 2009 issue of journal Academic Pediatrics, a sample of 163 parents of children seen at pediatric clinics at UNC and Vanderbilt University were tested to assess their understanding of BMI, their health literacy and their math abilities. Current national primary care policies for childhood obesity need to be improved Current primary care policies aimed at reducing obesity and increasing physical activity in children do not work and are very costly to run. Health experts offer action steps local governments can use to cut childhood obesity rates Zoning restrictions on fast-food restaurants near schools and playgrounds, community policing to improve safety around public recreational sites, requirements that publicly run after-school programs limit video game and TV time, and taxes on high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and drinks are some of the strategies local government officials can use to tackle the childhood obesity epidemic in their communities. Weight-loss surgery can break a family's cycle of obesity Adolescent and young children of obese mothers who underwent weight-loss surgery prior to pregnancy have been found to have a lower prevalence of obesity and significantly improved cardio-metabolic markers when compared to siblings born before the same obese mothers had weight-loss surgery. Childhood obesity: The increasing vascular drama Obesity is one of the most important health problems in industrialized countries irrespective of socio-economic status, age, sex or ethnicity. More Childhood Obesity Current Events and Childhood Obesity News Articles |
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