Study: Moms, is it YOUR Fault Your Child is Obese?

The country’s obesity crisis is being blamed on mothers in denial over their child’s weight problems.

That’s according to new research by the University of Limerick, which found that if moms don’t “currently perceive their child’s weight as problematic, they are less likely to seek or implement any intervention to address this.”

Not only that, but they found that many are more willing to point out their own obesity than to see it on their children. In their study, they found 17 percent of mothers realized their child was “moderately” or “very overweight.”

Because a parent doesn’t realize their child’s weight problem, it’s likely that the latter will continue to gain weight throughout their childhood, teen years and into adulthood.

On the other hand, mothers who acknowledged themselves to be overweight or obese were more likely to be accurate in their perception of their child’s weight than mothers who were incorrect about their own weight category.

Thus, researchers recommend open, honest conversations with their family doctor and during hospital visits about weight. These should be encouraged together with practical strategies for helping the family keep a healthy weight.