Grandparent care 'could increase risk of obesity' - Bounty

Grandparent care 'could increase risk of obesity' - Bounty


Youngsters who are often looked after by their grandparents could have a higher risk of developing weight problems as they grow older, it has been reported.

According to a study published in the International Journal of Obesity, children could be at a 34 per cent higher risk of being overweight if they are regularly cared for by their granddad and grandma, reported the BBC.

In total, 12,000 three-year-old children were studied for the research, which also found that those youngsters who go to nursery or had a childminder had no increased risk of becoming obese later in life.

The study also looked at the background and social demographic of the children and found that children with mothers who work in a managerial or professional job, who also have a university degree and who live with their partner, had a higher risk of obesity.

New rules around school dinners were recently introduced in England and are designed to help children eat healthily and avoid sugary and fatty foods.