London - Divorcing parents should be wary of a threat to their children’s health – they may become obese, say experts.
A study found children whose parents had divorced were significantly heavier, with boys particularly affected.
Overall, the youngsters were 54 percent more likely to be overweight or obese than children whose parents were married, according to the research published in the journal BMJ Open.
Boys from split homes were 63 percent more likely to weigh too much than boys with married parents.
The researchers said this could be the result of lower household income, eating too many unhealthy convenience foods and families having less time for domestic tasks, such as cooking, after one parent leaves the home.
The emotional fall-out of a divorce could also explain the findings, they said.
They studied 3 166 eight-year-olds at 127 primary schools in Norway. The children’s weight, height and waist circumference were measured as part of the 2010 Norwegian Child Growth Study.
Overall, one in five was overweight or obese. Some 27.5 percent of boys with divorced parents were overweight or obese, compared with 16 percent of those with married parents.
And 28.5 percent of girls with divorced parents were fat, compared with 20.3 percent of girls whose parents were still together. The authors said: “We found that general overweight and obesity, and abdominal obesity, were more prevalent among children of divorced parents.”
However, they added that this was not necessarily down to cause and effect.
They said: “The loss of various resources, like the absence of one of the parents or the loss of a parental figure, usually the father, can explain the negative implications of a divorce. A consequence might be less time for domestic tasks such as cooking and reliance on more convenient, ready-to-eat foods.
“As processed foods tend to be higher in fat and lower in nutritional value the result is an altered, less healthy diet.
“Household income and support from any non-custodial parent or the welfare state is often lower than in corresponding non-disrupted families.”
This could lead to less healthy lifestyle choices, they said.
“Other mechanisms affecting children’s weight status through divorce could be related to emotional stress.”
Dr David Haslam, of Britain’s National Obesity Forum, said the findings suggest the dysfunction of divorce has a knock-on effect. He said: “It’s unlikely that when the marriage is under strain and a couple are heading for divorce, the healthiest tuna fillets are going to end up on the table.” - Daily Mail