The mother's lifestyle overrides other factors of childhood obesity

Mothers pave the way for their children. And a new study shows that the ways that mothers walk (or the couches on which they sit and smoke) make a big difference in their children's propensity to become obese.

A study followed nearly 17,000 nurses and their 24,289 children. that women who practiced five healthy habits – maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, eating nutritious foods, consuming only moderate amounts of alcohol and not smoking cigarettes – had 75% less of children than the children of mothers who did not practice any of these healthy habits.

When children followed their mother along this healthy path, they were 82% less likely to be obese in adolescence than children who followed their mother's behavior, the study found .

The new research was published this week in the BMJ journal.

The genetic contributions of parents to their offspring to influence the child's propensity to obesity. But the sharp increase in childhood obesity observed in less than two generations can not be explained by genes alone. Today, nearly one in five children aged 6 to 19 is considered obese, a rate that has more than tripled since the 1970s.

Since nature can not be blamed, the authors of the new research sought influence. to feed in the conduct of obesity in children. (And let's face it: when you think about guilt – or blame, by the way – moms are # 1.)

The new study badyzes what healthy habits seem to be most helpful in protecting teens from Obesity

The weight of his mother seemed to exert a disproportionate influence on the risk of obesity of her children. Children of women whose body mbad index falls into the "healthy weight" category were 56% less likely to be obese than children of underweight or obese mothers.

Children of mothers who did not smoke were 31% less likely to be obese than children of mothers who smoked.

When mothers had 150 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous exercise per week, their children were 21% less likely to be obese in adolescence than children. children of less active mothers.

So few women who participated in the study were considered heavy drinkers as the authors could not calculate the influence of high alcohol consumption on the risks of alcohol. obesity of their offspring. But they found a small benefit for the children of women who were light or moderate drinkers compared to those who drank tobacco. When the mother consumed between one and seven servings a week, the risk of her children's obesity was respectively 11% and 20% lower.

However, the children of women whose diets reached the top 40% of the federal government The guidelines for care were no less likely to be obese than those of women whose choices nutritional groups had dragged them into the remaining 60%. Given the seemingly essential role of mothers in preparing meals and modeling good eating habits, this discovery was a bit of a surprise.

The mother's dietary choices were not as influential as her other health choices may reflect a modern reality. The authors explained: The children's diet is influenced by many factors, including school meals and food options that they encounter in their neighborhood.

New findings support the idea that child obesity reduction programs need the children themselves

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