Obesity, Girls & Parents
A recent obesity study by NAASO underscore
the importance of parents as role models for healthy lifestyles in children.
Obesity Girls Study Method
The families of 192 girls were interviewed when girls were five and seven
years old and were classified as obesigenic (above average energy and
fat intake, below average physical activity) or non-obesigenic (below
average energy and fat intake, above average physical activity) based
on parents' dietary and activity patterns.
Obesity Girls Study Results (1)
Girls from families identified as obesigenic had significantly higher
Body Mass Indexes (BMIs) and greater skinfold thickness values and experienced
greater increases in BMI and skinfold thickness between the ages of five
and seven, than girls from non-obesigenic families. One of the more revealing
results from the study is that 11 of the 14 girls who became overweight
during that time, came from families identified as being obesigenic.
Obesity Girls Study Results (2)
Researchers also found that girls' activity patterns were most likely
to be affected by their fathers. Daughters whose fathers were active,
who used their own behavior to encourage activity and who provided logistical
support, were more active and enjoyed activity more than those whose fathers
were inactive. Surprisingly, the activity patterns of the mothers were
not associated with patterns of activity in the girls.
Source: Press Release: North American Association
For The Study Of Obesity 2001
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