Brekkie and income dictate obesity levels
Recent Canadian research has found that income levels and consumption of breakfast are key factors affecting whether a child will be obese.
A team from Memorial University led by Dr Wendy Young, the university’s Chair in Healthy Ageing, studied the BMI of a large group of year seven students in relation to both individual and environmental risk factors as well as quality of education.
Dr Young commented; “If you look at the federal government’s national dialogue on healthy weights, the ministers of health have just launched [Our Health Our Future: A National Dialogue on Healthy Weights], this kind of research is essential to the dialogue they’re inviting on actions we need to take to ensure healthy weights for Canadians. They see this kind of dialogue as a key step in curbing childhood obesity.”
Using data from the 2006 ‘Halton’s Our Kids Network’ the researchers came to the conclusion that socio-economic status and an active lifestyle (encompassing physical activity, less time in front of electronic screens and eating breakfast) remained the leading predictors of healthy weight; in other words, poverty and inactivity correlated with higher weight in children.
Source: HealthCanal.com
Endorsed by the Australian