Single-parent link to obesity for girls

KIM WATERS
GIRLS in single-parent families are at higher risk of becoming overweight or obese than counterparts in dual-parent households, according to new Deakin University research.
Deakin School of Psychology lecturer Dr Linda Byrne said a study of 8717 children aged four to nine from 300 postcodes revealed girls from single-parent families were more likely to pack on the pounds.
Dr Byrne said the study also found that children in single-parent households watched more television and ate more fatty and sugary foods and less fruits and vegetables.
She described the results as “confronting”.
“Parenting is a difficult job and there are extra demands when undertaking this task alone,” Dr Byrne said.
“It’s important our results are not used to judge single parents. Rather, what we’ve found should be used to develop strategies to support families through some of the most challenging parts of parenting: what to feed the kids and how to keep them active.”
Dr Byrne said despite the weight-risk findings the study also found that girls from one-parent households watched only two hours more television a week and ate just “a little more” high-fat and sugary foods.
The research demonstrated that “small changes” in single-parent behaviour could result in better outcomes for their children, she said.
“While the overall results for eating and television viewing are consistent with other studies, we were surprised to find that only girls from single-parent families were overrepresented in the overweight category. This might be because girls are not as active as boys.
“Mothers’ perception of neighbourhood safety has been shown to influence weight in girls. If single mothers perceive their neighbourhood to be unsafe, they may be less likely to encourage their daughters to go outside and exercise.”