Social stressors increases obesity risk in young girls

Researchers of Columbia University in New York examined data on more than 1,600 preschoolers including information about the social risk factors each of them was exposed to, along with their height and weight measurements.

mothers were asked about six stressors including domestic violence, depression, drug abuse, housing insecurity, having an imprisoned father and food insecurity (not to have every day access to enough food) when their kids were between 1 and 3 years old.

Girls who had experienced two or more stressors at age 1 were twice as likely to be obese at age 5 while facing two or more stressors at age 3 doubled the risk, says the report published in Pediatrics.

The study also found a trend toward a similarly high risk of obesity if the mothers reported experiencing stressors when their daughter was between 1 and 3 years of age.

“Potentially families who are experiencing these stressors may be managing the eating habits of their children in a different way,” says study author Shakira F. Suglia. “Particularly for girls, when you're seeing these patients coming in as obese children at age 5, there is probably more going on than what they're eating and what their physical activity is. ... There are other things going on in the family environment that need to be addressed to improve the health of the child.”

Stresses may disrupt healthy relations between parents and their children, the researchers explained. Food, for instance “may be used in excess as a tool for consoling or pacifying emotional needs of the child by the parent or to self-soothe by the child. “

Scientists suggest health experts and pediatricians to consider the family dynamics and home environment when studying children’s challenge against obesity.