Abuse and Obesity

Abuse and Obesity

Abuse and Obesity

There are many risk factors for childhood obesity. A new study adds family violence to the growing list.

The study examined nearly 1600 children who were born between 1998 and 2000. Each child's mother, most of whom were unmarried, was interviewed periodically from the time of birth through the child's fifth birthday. The height and weight of the child was measured at ages 3 and 5. Nearly half of the children in the study had been exposed to family violence by the age of 5, and more than 16 percent of those children had become obese. In comparison, only 11 percent of children in the general population are considered to be obese based on their body mass index.

Researchers found that children whose mothers are abused by their partners are more likely to become obese. The risk of obesity increases with the frequency of the abuse. Girls were found at be at the greatest risk of developing obesity after witnessing abuse. Compared to children who had not witnessed family violence, those whose mothers had been repeatedly abused were 80 percent more likely to be obese by the age of 5. Children who lived in less safe neighborhoods were also at a greater risk for obesity when exposed to violence in the home.

The study also accounted for other factors that have been previously shown to be linked with childhood obesity. Some of these factors include diet, birth weight, smoking during pregnancy, mother's depression, and the time spent watching television. The link between domestic violence and childhood obesity still remained prevalent across socioeconomic populations after accounting for these factors.

Childhood obesity has become an epidemic in America. Being obese raises the risk of developing heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and other health problems. The results of this study serve as a new call to action for addressing this issue.

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