A mother's body weight and physical activity have a much greater influence on the child than the father's weight and lifestyle. This is the result of research carried out by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim.
Overweight and obesity may be genetically determined in many families, but scientists indicate that in this disease it is more often about inheriting eating traditions and leisure activities than about genes promoting obesity. Moreover, it turns out that mothers have a greater influence on the behavior that promotes overweight and obesity in children than fathers.
Norwegian scientists have been tracking changes in weight and levels of physical activity in 4,424 children and their parents for 11 years. Their observations show that when a mother loses a few kilograms, it also translates into weight loss in the child. Moreover, children of those mothers who are not very active have a higher body weight than children of active mothers. On the other hand, neither the body weight nor the physical activity of the fathers have any influence on their children.
In the commentary on the research, its authors indicate the reason for such results. It is mothers, not fathers, who are much more likely to make food choices for the family and plan home activities, therefore their lifestyle may have a greater impact on their offspring. And if a woman makes changes to her diet and movement habits, this can also have an impact on the children's weight.
Based on: www.esculap.com