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How do parents affect their children’s weight?
New research suggests that there is a strong link in obesity between mothers and daughters and fathers and sons, but not across the gender divide.
A study of 226 families by Plymouth's Peninsula Medical School found obese mothers were 10 times more likely to have obese daughters. For fathers and sons, there was a six-fold rise. But in both cases children of the opposite sex were not affected.
The researchers believe the link is behavioural rather than genetic. They say the findings mean policy on obesity should be re-thought.
What are the main factors that affects a child’s weight? Have you inherited your body shape from one of your parents? How does your weight influence your child’s?
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Published:
Monday, 13 July, 2009, 09:22 GMT
10:22 UK
All comments as they come in
Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 09:47 GMT
10:47 UK
Of course parents affect their kids... they are the ones who feed them
Sam Harrison, London, United Kingdom
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 09:39 GMT
10:39 UK
By feeding their kids the wrong food and allowing the kids to get away with staying indoors, watching television and playing sedentary games instead of encouraging outside activities that give them plenty of exercise... Take them swimming and camping, make them take part in sports and ensure they walk at least part of the way to school!
Bill, Brum
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 09:32 GMT
10:32 UK
People get fat because they eat rubbish food and dont exercise enough, thats it! It's not a disease, it's not genetic, it's basic biology.
I've started to put on weight and guess what? It's not because my mum or dad are fat, it's because I like crisps and sweets and don't like the gym, simple.
does my opinion count, used to be Great Britain, United Kingdom
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 09:26 GMT
10:26 UK
Children eat what their parents give them. Children excercise if their parents introduce them to sports. A lot depends on general happiness.
Annette Strauch
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 09:21 GMT
10:21 UK
"Have you ever seen a fat child that doesn't have fat parents?"
Yes - take a look at a typical multi-generational family album on Flickr. Usually up to the 1970's no-one looks overweight, neither adult or child. Then see what has happened in the following generations.
ChrisJK, UK
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 09:18 GMT
10:18 UK
Fat people tend to have fat kids. Who'd have thought it?
I guess the real point of the research is how we approach this from a public health point of view. The implication is that some targeted health education is a waste of time because people are genetically locked into a particular physiognomy.
Instead of making people depressed trying to aspire to body shapes they can never attain, attention should be given to showing how people can be encouraged to be fit and fat at the same time.
Steve Smedley, Woodbridge, United Kingdom
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 09:13 GMT
10:13 UK
does a bear poo in the woods! a parent looks after a child, that includes feeding the child, also includes making sure sed child gets off his/hers bum and excersise. so of corse parents (maybe look up the meaning of parent, its in the word) have everything to do with there childrens weight. tho im sure Mr Brown will having us all beliving its the terroists fault soon enough
paul jr, salisbury
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 09:08 GMT
10:08 UK
Look at old photographs of early last century, look at children on beaches, legs like match sticks, rickets was prevalent, their parents were not much better. As Harold MacMillan said in the 60's 'we've never had it so good' and that is it, everything we do is to excess. Next Christmas look at all those stupid people with their trolleys piled high with enough food that could feed a whole village in Africa and most of which they will gorge themselves on or waste. Greed isn't just with politicians
Toothpick Harry, north wales
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 09:04 GMT
10:04 UK
watching the news last night i was pretty astounded by some peoples ignorance and stupidity ... one woman in particular who admitted to a diet of burgers, chips and kebabs was wondering why her daughter was fat and didn't realise the influence she had - is this country seriously lacking in common sense? maybe this is something that should be on the school curriculum!
Curious George, London
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 08:57 GMT
09:57 UK
Junk food is cheaper than virtually any other food you can mention.If you dont have much money each week to live on then you buy it or go hungry.Yes,you can cook(if you afford the energy)you can shop around(if you can afford the bus fares)but its cheaper from the junk food man!
Steve Grant, ipswich, United Kingdom
That just isnt true! It will cost you the best part of £5 for a mc donalds meal, i could feed 2 people for that easily cooking.
Sam
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 08:49 GMT
09:49 UK
"Being blessed with a slimmer build all my life I have often wondered why people become obese."
Sandra McAllister
You are right Sandra - you are "blessed". Others of us are "blessed" with an almost irrestible tendency to be overweight, in just the same way. You enjoy running, you don't crave food all the time, if you diet for a day, you loose pounds - isn't that right? Well not for many of us. Weight loss is craving hunger and 100 difficult decisions a day; starve for a day lose an ounce
Mike Poole, Kent, United Kingdom
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 08:37 GMT
09:37 UK
No; wrong.
Schools are there to educate; it is the responsibility of parents to make sure their children get proper exercise, food, sleep, housing, clothing . . . .
[NewsMonitor]
No sorry but physical education is very much the schools responsibility. I work in a school i have seen the demise of competitiveness as it doesn't suit girls, i have seen boys education suffer and obesity and ill health take over.
Sam
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 08:33 GMT
09:33 UK
Boys follow their Dad, and girls follow their Mum. Then if parent is obese, lazy, junk food eating - so is child - uuuummmm, would never have guessed that one in a million years
[MrSBaldrick], Dunny-on-the-Wold, United Kingdom
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 08:30 GMT
09:30 UK
I think there is a link between Mother & Daughter and in my experience there seems to be justification for Mothers to get their Daughters around the same weight as they are so they can use the old 'IT'S IN THE GENES' adage, and subsequently eat as much as they like.
If your Mum likes Battenburg, then she will force feed you Battenburg. She will tell other people that you are crazy for Battenburg so she can eat as much as she wants.
If questioned 'ITS IN THE GENES!'
Clever women, yes?
Feel_Bad_Factor, Sutton Codlfield - UK
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Added:
Tuesday, 14 July, 2009, 08:29 GMT
09:29 UK
Is fatness is genetic answer me this; Why are their no fat people in Africa?
Sam
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Published comments: 402
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