Simple household routines, such as having regular family meals, may lower the risk of obesity among young children, reports a new study. Researchers found that young children who didn’t watch a lot of TV, ate dinners with their family, and got plenty of sleep, were much less likely to be obese than those who didn’t.
What do we know already?
Roughly 1 in 7 children are very overweight (obese), and that number is rising. Obese children are at higher risk of asthma and other health issues, are often teased, and may have low self-esteem. They’re also more likely to become obese adults, who face a higher risk of many serious health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
It’s not entirely clear why more children are becoming obese, but several factors are probably at work, including the easy availability of energy-dense foods, such as biscuits, crisps and sugary drinks.
Studies have also found that aspects of a child’s daily routine may affect their risk. Researchers have now done a study to look at three of these: hours of sleep, amount of TV time, and frequency of family meals.
What does the new study say?
Children were less likely to be obese if they watched less than two hours of TV on weekdays, slept at least 10.5 hours a night, and ate family meals more than five times a week. In fact, if they followed all three routines, they were 40 per cent less likely to be obese than if they followed none.
The study included 8,550 4-year-olds who were part of a broader US study on child health and development. The children were weighed and measured, and their parents were asked questions about their health and daily habits.
Overall 18 per cent of the children in the study were obese. But among those who followed all three healthy routines, this number dropped to 14.3 per cent. And among those who followed none, it rose to 24.5 per cent.
After taking into account other things that could have affected the children’s chance of being obese, such as their ethnic background and family income, the researchers estimated that the risk of obesity dropped by around 17 per cent for each additional routine followed. Interestingly, these habits were linked to a lower rate of obesity even among children who had strong risk factors for weight problems, such as a mother who was obese.
The study didn’t explore whether adopting these routines might help children lose weight once they were obese.
How reliable are the findings?
This was a well-designed study with intriguing results. However, this type of study can’t show cause and effect. So it can’t prove that the children were less likely to be obese because of these habits. It can show only that there may be a link.
One important missing element in the study is diet. The researchers didn’t ask about what the children usually ate. It’s possible that parents who embraced healthy routines were also more likely to give their children healthier meals and snacks, and that this was what decreased the risk of obesity.
Where does the study come from?
The study was done by university researchers from Ohio and Pennsylvania, and it was funded by a grant from the US Department of Agriculture. It was published in the medical journal Pediatrics, which is owned by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
What does this mean for me?
If you’re the parent of a young child, this study suggests that following these routines may lower your child’s risk of obesity, although researchers have yet to prove this. Nonetheless, adhering to these habits may have other benefits as well, such as helping your child be more alert and active during the day, and ensuring that they have regular family time.
What should I do now?
If these habits aren’t part of your home life, you might consider adopting them. And if you’re worried about your child’s weight, talk to your GP. She can tell you whether your child is overweight and what steps you can take to help them.
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