EATING LATE AND STAYING UP LATER:

The More Mom Works, the Heavier Her Kids Get: Study (Madonna Behen, 2/04/11, HealthDay)

Researchers at American University, Cornell University and the University of Chicago analyzed data on 900 school-aged children, and found that the cumulative time that a child's mother worked was associated with a small but measurable increase in the child's body mass index (BMI), a measurement that takes into account height and weight. [...]

The researchers concluded that it may be changes in children's eating and sleeping patterns (factors that were not included in the data) that account for the BMI changes. "While we weren't able to identify any specific environmental factors, it's clear from other research that nutrition and sleep are important," she said. "So, one possible policy implication is to do more to help working parents find quick and easy ways to prepare healthy foods."

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 13, 2011 6:13 AM