WASHINGTON — New research suggests three important factors make kids likely to gain weight, and that knowledge can give parents insight into how to help prevent it.
Researchers at University College London found in a study that children who skip breakfast; children with irregular bedtimes or insufficient sleep and children of mothers who smoke are more likely to gain weight.
“This study shows that disrupted routines, exemplified by irregular sleeping patterns and skipping breakfast, could influence weight gain through increased appetite and the consumption of energy-dense foods,” said lead researcher Yvonne Kelly, a professor at University College London, said in a news release.
The study evaluated children from 19,244 families in the U.K. born between September 2000 and January 2002. Data was collected when the children were ages 3,5,7 and 11.
“These findings support the need for intervention strategies aimed at multiple spheres of influence on BMI (Body Mass Index) growth,” Kelly said.
The study found that breast-feeding and the early introduction of solid food weren’t factors.
The findings are published in the journal Pediatrics.
