Could you be setting up your child for obesity? That might be the case. Researchers found that behaviors linked to high obesity risk are common among parents of 2-month-olds, and that changing these behaviors could potentially have a huge impact on a child's life.
"Although expert consensus and previous literature document the importance of early feeding and activity behaviors and practices in preventing obesity and the risks of early rapid weight gain, few studies have rigorously assessed obesity-related behaviors by caregivers of infants," wrote Eliana M Perrin, one of the researchers, and her colleagues, according to Medscape.
In this case, the researchers examined 863 low-income parents and their infants. The scientists found that all parents adopted some kind of infant feeding and activity behaviors that have been linked to the development of obesity. In fact, researchers found that 45 percent of parents exclusively fed formula to their infants while 19 percent exclusively breastfed, according to Medical News Today. Another 12 percent introduced solid food early, which has been linked to obesity.
Other behaviors that the researchers saw that have been associated with obesity have been a parent watching TV, and a parent frequently putting a child to bed or leaving a child to feed themselves with a propped bottle, according to the LA Times. Other behaviors include feeding a child sweetened drinks, such as fruit juices, and encouraging a child to keep feeding even though the child no longer shows interest in continuing.
The findings reveal how important it is to keep behaviors in mind when raising a child. By curbing certain behaviors, parents can potentially lower their child's risk of obesity. Public health approaches could aid families in poorer communities. This, in turn, can potentially reduce overall obesity rates in the United States.
