Childhood Obesity - Do you have an overweight child? We offer tips to help your child lose weight and get fit!

The My Overweight Child blog will help you keep informed about the latest research, findings, and resources available to parents of overweight or obese kids. There are many knowledgeable people working on the increasingly dire problem of childhood obesity - and we want to give parents a place where they can check in regularly to see the latest studies and tips available to help you help your child lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

We invite you to add your comments - if you have feedback for the blog, would like some specific topics covered, or you just want to share your experience as a parent dealing with childhood obesity.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Early Childhood Diet Influences Adult Metabolism, Obesity

A study that was conducted at the University of Calgary suggests that the foods we eat as babies and toddlers may influence whether we become fat as adults.

Dr. Raylene Reimer put rats who had been newly weaned from their mothers on one of three diets: high fiber, high protein, or a control diet.
  • When the rats became adults, Dr. Reimer fed them all high fat, high sugar diets.
  • The ones who had eaten the high protein diet gained the most weight the most rapidly.
  • The ones on the high fiber diet put on the least amount of weight.
"The composition of early childhood diet may have a direct impact on genes that control metabolism and obesity risk," Dr. Reimer wrote in her report, which was published in the Journal of Physiology. "The study clearly indicates that diet composition alone can change the trajectory of circulating satiety hormones and metabolic pathways that influence how we gain weight or control blood sugar as adults."

Labels: toddlers, healthy_eating, babies

Posted By: Aspen Education Group