Working mothers = Increase BMI in Children

A new research was conducted that targeted working mothers and the effect on their children's BMI. The study is published in the journal Child Development and was conducted by researcher Taryn Morrissey, PhD from American University.

The study sampled 990 children who attended Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. Morrissey's team looked at the data provided and found surprising results; they discovered that mothers that worked had children whose BMI went up over time. They did not investigate as to what parameters are encouraging these results.

The type of work or amount of hours was not investigated but the researchers did find that over time the accumulative months of a mother working had an effect on their children's BMI. This effect was not monumental, it was relatively small. In fact for every 5.3 month period the child's weight was above normal in the BMI range.

Further research needs to be done to determine the factors that might be contributing to this finding. Researchers speculate that one of the reasons why these findings might be occurring could be due to the lack of time working mothers have to prepare nutritious meals or be as involved in their child's food options.

These findings are not to make the 70% of mothers that work feel guilty but rather provide some education that might trigger some preventative approaches to food within the family. The researcher's suggest that working mothers who find themselves eating out frequently with their children to take advantage of the healthier options available through the fast food restaurants. Also, research has provided positive feedback that having a family homemade meal within the home at least once a week helps keep the family healthy.