A British study explored potential associations between parents who are overweight or obese and the risks of intergenerational transmission to their offspring. According to the authors, this transmission varies based on the children’s gender but also depends on maternal or paternal influences.
Children whose parents have excess weight are more likely to find themselves in a similar situation. This conclusion comes from a 2020 British study conducted by the City University of London.
The research analyzed data from a statistical study of the health of 14,401 families living in England, tracked between 1995 and 2009. The age of the children included in the study (divided into several groups) ranged from birth to 16 years.
Is overweight inherited?
Based on body mass index (BMI) and various aspects related to parents’ daily lives (such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, socioeconomic status, mental health), the authors concluded that parental influences play a significant role in children’s weight.
Furthermore, the risks of children suffering from obesity are closely linked to the child’s sex and age, according to the study.
For boys aged 5 years or younger, the probability of being overweight is 19.8 percentage points higher when both parents are overweight and 26.7 percentage points higher when both parents are obese.
Regarding school-age children, the risk appears to be higher among girls than boys. “Girls of school age whose mothers are overweight or obese have an increased likelihood of being overweight or obese themselves. Adolescent girls whose mothers are obese also face a higher risk of being overweight or obese,” explains the study.
Lifestyle: the “bad” parental example
Regarding lifestyle factors that could explain the risks and parental influences, researchers mention diet (including fruit and vegetable consumption) and physical activity.
According to the study, the age gap between parents and the child (especially the mother) could also influence the child’s weight: the larger the gap, the greater the risk of overweight, particularly among girls.
“We observe that low-income parents are at higher risk of being overweight, as are their children. Therefore, interventions should focus more on low-income families to be more effective,” note the study authors.
Estimates from the International Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO) suggest that the United Kingdom has one of the highest rates of obesity and overweight among children aged 5 to 17 in Europe.
