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In this edition of EmpowHER's "HER Daily Dose" Bailey Mosier examines a study that claims that young girls who come from a troubled home are more likely to be obese than those with a stable home.
Hi, I’m Bailey Mosier. This is your EmpowHER HER Daily Dose.
Researchers from Columbia University found that little girls from troubled homes are more likely to be obese at age 5 than girls from happier homes.
Researchers analyzed data on 1,600 preschoolers from low-income, single-mother families and found that at 5 years old, 17 percent of the children were already obese. Researchers say kids who are stressed because of a difficult home life may be more prone to eat highly caloric foods much like adults deal with stress by reaching for comfort foods; economic instability may mean families can't afford fresh produce; and mothers who are stressed, may put their kids in front of the TV or feed them junk food to keep them occupied while they deal with their own problems.
The researchers didn’t find the same to be true for young boys coming from troubled homes, probably because we already know boys to be more physically active than girls at a young age. In the fight against childhood obesity, researchers say we may need to consider family dynamics and home environment, rather than just a child's weight.
That wraps up your EmpowHER HER Daily Dose. Join me here at EmpowHER.com every weekday for your next dose of women’s health.
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