According to a latest Norwegian study, children of divorced parents may be at a higher risk of being overweight or obese than those whose parents are married. The study also showed that this tendency was higher amongst boys than girls. However, the report also mentioned that it is too early to draw a direct, causal link, as other factors are to blame as well.Almost 3000 students, from 127 different schools were tested on their height, weight and waist circumference. The data thus obtained was then compared to their parents' marital status.The results showed every one out of five children to be overweight and one in a lot 10 children was morbidly obese with a BMI of 30. According to medical definitions, the BMI or the Body Mass Index- height-to-weight ratio - should range between 18-24, falling short or past the range would categorize a person as either underweight or obese.
The researchers found that children of divorced parents were 54 per cent more likely to be overweight/obese and 89 percent more likely to be obese when compared to children whose parents were still married. "Children whose parents had never married had a similar prevalence of overweight and obesity to those with married parents," they added.Sons of divorced parents were 63 per cent more likely to be overweight and 104 per cent more likely to be obese than other boys, while the difference was much less significant amongst girls.The researchers had took into consideration possible influential factors like the mother's educational background, ethnic origin and area of residence, but not others like the child's diet and exercise regime. They also did not known how long the parents had been divorced for. The team speculated that a shift to unhealthier and cheaper take-aways or stress-eating may explain the trend.In a comment, Kevin McConway, an applied statistics professor at The Open University in England, said that the findings may not hold true for societies outside Norway. The study, he said, "really does little more than point at possible questions for further research." The research was published in an online medical journal BMJ Open.Inputs from AFP
The researchers found that children of divorced parents were 54 per cent more likely to be overweight/obese and 89 percent more likely to be obese when compared to children whose parents were still married. "Children whose parents had never married had a similar prevalence of overweight and obesity to those with married parents," they added.Sons of divorced parents were 63 per cent more likely to be overweight and 104 per cent more likely to be obese than other boys, while the difference was much less significant amongst girls.The researchers had took into consideration possible influential factors like the mother's educational background, ethnic origin and area of residence, but not others like the child's diet and exercise regime. They also did not known how long the parents had been divorced for. The team speculated that a shift to unhealthier and cheaper take-aways or stress-eating may explain the trend.In a comment, Kevin McConway, an applied statistics professor at The Open University in England, said that the findings may not hold true for societies outside Norway. The study, he said, "really does little more than point at possible questions for further research." The research was published in an online medical journal BMJ Open.Inputs from AFP
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