The longer mums work, the higher the BMI increase in kids

WASHINGTON - Scientists have found that children’s body mass index (BMI), which was earlier linked to maternal employment, rose the more years their mothers worked over their kids’ lifetimes.

For the study, researchers at American University, Cornell University, and the University of Chicago looked at 900 children in grades 3, 5, and 6 who lived in 10 cities across the country.

They found that the total number of years mothers were employed had a small but cumulative influence on their children’s BMI, which, over time, can lead to an increase in the likelihood of overweight or obesity.

The findings were strongest among children in 5th and 6th grades. But the reasons for these findings are not entirely clear.

One possibility is that working parents have limited time for grocery shopping and food preparation. This may contribute to a greater reliance on eating out or eating prepared foods, which tend to be high in fat and calories, say authors.

The finding appeared in the January/February issue of the journal Child Development. (ANI)