Daycare link to obesity
Introduction
A new study suggest that babies looked after by caregivers other than their parents gain more weight…
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Child obesity: is daycare to blame?
Babies who are cared for by people other than their parents tend to gain more weight and are less likely to be breastfed than babies whose parents are their regular caregivers, says a new study carried out by the University of Illinois and Harvard School of Public Health. They’re also more likely to be introduced to solid foods early.
Researchers collected data on more than 8,100 9month-old babies, including their weight and length, and gathered information about how the children were cared for. More than half (55%) of the babies received regular care from someone other than a parent – of these, half were in full-time child care. Around 40% were placed in childcare when they were under 3 months old, 39% when they were between 3 and 6 months old, and 21% when they were 6 months or older.
Those babies who were placed in childcare when they were younger than 3 months old were less likely to be breastfed and more likely to start solid foods, compared with children cared for by parents. Babies in part-time childcare gained about 0.4 more pounds over nine months than those cared for by their parents, and babies who were cared for by relatives were also less likely to be breastfed, more likely to be introduced to solid food early, and gained about 0.35 more pounds.
Researchers say the fact that babies placed with carers are less likely to be breastfed is key, as breastfeeding (which is recommended up to 12 months of age) is known to protect against obesity. Switching to solids early is also an established factor for weight gain.
Supernanny Team
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