News Summary

• U of M researchers have found that being a parent is directly associated with making unhealthy choices, especially for mothers.
• Young adult mothers had higher body mass index and poor dietary intake compared to young adult women without children.
• Both mothers and fathers participated in less physical activities than nonparents, but no difference was found in BMIs between fathers and men without children.
• Researchers say children are likely to mimic poor health choices demonstrated by their parents, thus it’s important to note these unhealthy habits may be impacting kids, too.

Quotes

“We don’t want to blame parents, we want to support them. This study demonstrates the need to support and encourage mothers and fathers on their quest to remain healthy while balancing parenting demands and other life stressors,” said University of Minnesota Physician Jerica Berge, Ph.D., of the Medical School and Department of Family and Community Medicine.

“Parents visit the doctor frequently. It’s the perfect opportunity for family physicians to discuss healthy habits for the entire family,” Berge said.

Full Text

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (April 11, 2011) – University of Minnesota Medical School researchers have found that the very act of being a parent is directly associated with making unhealthy choices, especially for mothers.

Researchers analyzed health habits of parents and nonparents among 838 women and 682 men and found young adult mothers had higher body mass index (BMI) and poor dietary intake compared to young adult women without children.

Young mothers also reported having a higher daily intake of sugar-sweetened drinks, total calories and saturated fats, compared to young women without children. Both mothers and fathers participated in less physical activities than nonparents, but no difference was found in BMIs between fathers and men without children.

The study incorporated parents and nonparents from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The study is led by University of Minnesota Physician Jerica Berge, Ph.D., of the Medical School and Department of Family and Community Medicine, and is published online today in the journal Pediatrics.

“We don’t want to blame parents, we want to support them,” Berge said. “This study demonstrates the need to support and encourage mothers and fathers on their quest to remain healthy while balancing parenting demands and other life stressors.”

Researchers say children are likely to mimic poor health choices demonstrated by their parents, thus it’s important to note these unhealthy habits may be impacting kids, too.

Berge offered a few tips for parents looking to stay healthy:

• If your child doesn’t finish all of their food, it’s OK and don’t feel like you need to finish it for them. If you feel like you’re wasting food, refrigerate and save for later.
• Avoid consuming and buying sugary beverages marketed toward your children. They’re loaded with calories. Drink water instead.
• Instead of sitting down for TV after dinner, take the whole family for a walk around the neighborhood.

Berge said pediatricians and health care providers should consider discussing diet and physical activity with new parents to improve their health and to help them model healthful behavior for their children.

“Parents visit the doctor frequently. It’s the perfect opportunity for family physicians to discuss healthy habits for the entire family,” Berge said.

The study data stemmed from Project EAT (Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults) and was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Study co-authors – including Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Ph.D., the principal investigator of Project EAT — are members of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.