Childhood obesity is the main concern of parents related to the feeding of children, and it is completely sensible if we consider that 22% of Spanish children between 3 and 12 years are overweight.
There are many factors that predispose it, both genetic and environmental, but according to a study in Sweden family stress helps children develop childhood obesity.
Researchers at Linkping University assessed the level of stress in 7,443 families from the time their children were born until age 5 or 6 and found that in families with a high level of stress, children were twice as likely to be obese as children. what they lived in more relaxed homes.
The reasons for stress were situations that are lived in many families today. Some more serious such as accidents, illnesses, deaths, divorces, unemployment or violence, but also others derived from daily problems such as child or partner care, lack of social support or concern for the health and development of children.
They have shown that an adverse environment in key years for the child's development promotes childhood obesity. Given that one third of Spanish children live in stressed families can be one of the keys to understanding the growing number of overweight children.
Sometimes we do not stop to think to what extent our frantic way of life, lack of time to devote or not being able to deal with the setbacks of life can affect the health of children.
