Children born to overweight mothers are more likely to be obese -- 15 times as likely -- than children born to lean mothers and all by the age of 6. The finding led researchers to suggest that obesity prevention efforts should begin by the age of 4 among high-risk kids.
In the 6-year study, researchers followed 70 children, 33 of whom had overweight mothers (the high-risk group) and 37 who had lean mothers (the low-risk group). While weight and body composition did not vary between the two groups at age 2, the high-risk group had greater overall weight by age 4, and by the age of 6 had both greater weight and more body fat.
Researchers called the increases in body fat in the high-risk group "dramatic," and suggested that genes controlling body weight may become active sometime between the ages of 3 and 6.
The findings call attention to the potential strength of genetic influences, not only in causing obesity but also in preventing it. Among the low-risk group, only one child (out of 37) was overweight.
However, along with genetics, family income also affected the children's weights. Children belonging to families with lower incomes tended to have higher body weights -- an association that has also been found to be true in adults.
Researchers say that children whose mothers are overweight are an important target group for preventing obesity. They note that along with genes that control body weight, environmental factors like eating lots of sweets and being inactive are also associated with childhood obesity.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition January 2005;81(1):140-146
Medical News Today January 25, 2005
There was indeed a dramatic increase in weight from ages 3 to 6 in the high-risk group of children, and because of this researchers believed genetic predisposition played a part. While this could certainly be one factor, frankly I'm disappointed the scientists seemed to blame the problem largely on genes.
Why? Our genes are merely dumb storage facilities that do very little to influence our health. The reality is the EXPRESSION of our genes is the most important influence and their expression is altered by our emotional influences. Otherwise, you'd be helpless to do anything about your health, which, of course, isn't true at all.
So while I'm not saying that genetics play no part at all, I am saying that just because your mother is obese you should give up and resign yourself to a lifetime of weight problems because "it runs in the family." Or, worse yet, resign your child to a lifetime of obesity just because you are and you feel resisting it is futile.
No matter what your genes may seem to be telling you, and no matter what your family history has been, there's plenty you can do to prevent or curtail the epidemic of childhood obesity in your home right now, and believe me the younger you start your children down the right path, the easier it will be for them in the future:
Make sure to breast feed your child. This has been shown to decrease obesity later in life.
Determine your child's nutritional type with our free online test and prepare your family's meals accordingly.
Encourage your child to exercise for at least 30 minutes daily -- think fun activities that you can do as a family like bike riding, hiking or sports.
Switch soda and other sugary drinks to water flavored with lemon and lime -- each daily soda increases obesity risk 60 percent!
Turn off the television, not only in favor of more physical activities but also to reduce your kid's exposure to junk food ads.
Related Articles:
Child Obesity Epidemic How to Prevent, or Reverse, Childhood Obesity Find out Why Many Parents Don't See Obesity in Their Children, and How it Signals an Alarming Trend in America A New Problem for Obese Children: Bowel Control Obese Kids' Arteries Are Hardening How Many Genes Do You Have?
Child Obesity Epidemic
How to Prevent, or Reverse, Childhood Obesity
Find out Why Many Parents Don't See Obesity in Their Children, and How it Signals an Alarming Trend in America
A New Problem for Obese Children: Bowel Control
Obese Kids' Arteries Are Hardening
How Many Genes Do You Have?