iblog

Well here’s something you don’t hear everyday! Researchers at the University of Alberta in Canada have found evidence to suggest that feeding your child healthily could actually trigger obesity in later life. Scientists believe that consuming low-calorie ‘diet’ versions of foods that are traditionally high in calories could encourage children to overeat when older. Appearing in the journal Obesity researchers claim that:

“Based on what we’ve learned, it is better for children to eat healthy, well-balanced diets with sufficient calories for their daily activities rather than low-calorie snacks or meals.”

As part of the study, scientists examined the eating habits of rats at different stages of their development. According to researchers, the aforementioned effect was only observed in young rats. Adolescent rats that were fed low-calorie versions of high-calorie foods showed no evidence of obesity in later life. Older rats appeared to rely on so-called taste cues which allowed them to effectively judge the energy content in food. Younger rats, however, were unable to distinguish between low-calorie and high-calorie foods, causing them to continue eating long after they were full.

Obesity, as we all know, is a serious problem in the developed world. Obese individuals (those with a BMI of 30 and above) risk developing type-2 diabetes and cardio-vascular disease. Obesity-related illnesses cost the UK National Health Service millions of pounds each year, and a number of countries have considered the introduction of ‘fat taxes’ to help deal with the problem. In addition, studies have suggested that the children of overweight parents are more likely to become obese themselves.

This research appears to contradict what most doctors have believed for a long time – that healthy lifestyles and sound eating habits will benefit youngsters long after their adolescent years have passed. As a consequence, scientists have emphasised that, despite these findings, a lifestyle comprising of a balanced diet and regular exercise is essential for healthy growth and development in children. Let’s just hope that everyone realises that this study is simply part of an ongoing research project and not an excuse to provide your child with a few extra slices of cheese cake after dinner…

This entry was posted on Friday, August 10th, 2007 at 11:26 pm and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.