EndocrinologyMum Is Key To Solving Obesity
One of the UK"s leading weight loss organisations has backed calls for changes to the way that obesity is being tackled nationally after a new study suggested that children learn unhealthy lifestyle behaviour from parents of the same gender.
But Caryl Richards, Managing Director of Slimming World says that it is the "family food provider" role rather than gender which is the key to solving the obesity crisis.
A Slimming World study of 2,800 people, published this month in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics1 found that health messages do cross the gender divide. Three out of four respondents reported that they have influenced other people to make healthy food choices as a result of their knowledge of Slimming World"s Food Optimising dietary programme.
"Our research shows that it is the individual"s role within the family not their gender that is important when it comes to tackling obesity. Taking on the responsibility for shopping and cooking for the family undoubtedly has the biggest effect and, whether male or female, 85% of our members buy more fruit and veg than before for the family, and 80% say they and their families eat less fatty food than before," says Caryl.
Around 90% of Slimming World"s 1.2 million members (annually) are women and the research suggests that it is usually mums who are the key person responsible for passing on health messages to the family.
"Like any health initiative that aims to have a positive impact, tackling obesity by changing behaviour can only work as part of a whole society approach that offers genuine support to parents and their children at a community level - something Slimming World has been doing for 40 years," says Caryl.
As well as changing their approach to food and activity, over 80% of the 2197 respondents following Slimming World"s Food Optimising programme said it had improved their health. Of those respondents who had a partner (n= 1653) 34% felt it had improved their partner"s health. Of those who had children at home (n = 982) 26% felt it had improved their child"s health.
More than half of the respondents reported a number of benefits arising from their participation in the organisation"s "Body Magic" physical activity programme. Among those who had become more active in daily life (n =718) 33% included their partners and 28% said their activity also involved their children.
A study published this week in the International Journal of Obesity suggests that girls whose mothers are classified as clinically obese are significantly more likely to struggle with weight problems in childhood, with a similar relationship existing between obese fathers and their sons.
1 Influence of Slimming World"s lifestyle programme on diet, activity behaviour and health of participants and their families. Authors: C. Pallister, A. Avery, J. Stubbs & J. Lavin. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics Volume 22, Issue 4 (August 2009).
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