Researchers at Ohio State University suggested that following these simple steps in combination or individually could ease much of your worries about your child’s health.
Lead study author Sarah Anderson, Ph.D., assistant professor, epidemiology, Ohio State University said, “We should encourage parents to have these routines for young children.”
“In some families it’s going to be harder to do these things because of social and economic constraints, but we should consider what would make it possible for them to have these routines in their household,” added Anderson.
8550 children studied
The research team studied 8,550, four-year old children on the basis of three activities-- having meals with the family over five times a week, getting a sleep for 10.5 hours, and watching television for less than two hours during the weekdays.
The team found that children who had this lifestyle had 40 percent lesser tendency to get fat in contrast to kids who indulged in none of these activities.
One out of seven children following all these activities in routine was obese in contrast to four kids out of seven pursuing no behavior.
“We found an independent effect of each, which suggests that doing more of them was better. If you were doing one, adding another one--either one--was associated with a lower prevalence of obesity,” said Anderson.
The research revealed that 40 percent of the families were already implementing two of the three habits, however, only 15 percent were practicing all behaviors.
Link between the habits and low obesity rates
William T. Dalton III, Ph.D., assistant professor, psychology, East Tennessee State University said, “If kids are getting adequate sleep, they’re going to have more energy during the day to be physically active.”
“Children who eat dinner at the table with their family aren’t eating in front of the TV; a bad habit that often leads to less mindful eating and doesn’t teach children how to regulate their food intake,” added Dalton.
Researchers found that two-parent families with educated and fit mothers, and a good income were the reasons why they followed all three habits. The findings held true even when the researchers controlled these factors.
Details of the study appear in the Journal Pediatrics.
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