Children get fat when their parents break up?

Children whose parents have divorced or separated are more likely to be overweight and obese. The study on this relationship was conducted by scientists from the London School of Economics and Political Science (UK), and its results were published in the journal Demography.

British researchers analyzed the data of over 7.5 thousand children born in the years 2000-2002, including their body mass index (BMI), which allows to determine whether the child has become overweight or has already developed obesity, as well as the situation the socio-economic aspect of the families in which they grew up. It turned out that the children of parents who had split up or divorced within 2 years of this fact changed over the weight faster than the children whose parents were together. Interestingly, weight gain was greatest in children who survived their parents' divorce before the age of 6.

The authors of the study suggest that children may gain weight after their parents divorce for several reasons. For example, because parents work more after they break up, so they have less time to prepare balanced meals and for their children to develop he althy eating habits. A more important reason for this tendency, however, is the fact that children, emotionally experiencing the separation of their parents and the breakdown of the family, to alleviate grief and sadness, more eagerly reach for products that give them a false sense of happiness.

Based on: PAP, www.esculap.com

Important

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This article does not contain discriminatory and stigmatizing content for people suffering from obesity.

Magdalena Gajda A specialist in obesity disease and obesity discrimination of people with diseases. President of the OD-WAGA Foundation of People with Obesity, Social Ombudsman for the Rights of People with Obesity in Poland and a representative of Poland in the European Coalition for People Living with Obesity. By profession - a journalist specializing in he alth issues, as well as a PR, social communication, storytelling and CSR specialist. Privately - obesity since childhood, after bariatric surgery in 2010. Starting weight - 136 kg, current weight - 78 kg.