According to a recent study published online in the journal Pediatrics, the odds of obesity appear more prevalent in black and Hispanic children and the risk begins before birth. But why?
The study, done by the Harvard Medical School and funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, explains disproportionately high obesity rates in minority children, pointing the finger at family and cultural customs and beliefs.
When looking into the risk factors during a child’s first five years, they found African-American and Hispanic infants more likely to be born small, gain excess weight after birth, begin eating solid foods before 4 months and to sleep less. The study also suggests that during preschool years, minority children eat more fast food, drink more sugar-sweetened beverages and are more likely to have televisions in their rooms than Caucasian children.
I immediately assumed a lot of these findings to be due to limited access to health care and poverty and education levels. Obviously, I was very surprised to read that when researchers adjusted for socioeconomic status, they found the prevalence of many risk factors to remain the same.
Head researcher Elsie Taveras says that the risk factors stem from behaviors and habits that are passed on from generation to generation, especially when it comes to the age at which mothers begin giving their babies solid food or choose to stop breastfeeding.
This makes sense. I often take many cues from my mother, and my upbringing into account when making decisions regarding my children. But, I also take into account the information I receive from my pediatrician, from articles I read and from other mothers.
So, how do we balance generational habits and new healthy information to create healthy behavior change? I guess the best way would be to begin by making it a priority to educate parents beginning during pregnancy. By not having to ask your pediatrician for advice, but to automatically receive it.
Yes, I did receive advice from the nurses and doctors at my delivery, but it was scarce. And in the whirlwind of the experience, I guarantee you that less than half of the information offered was retained.
I hope this research will reach the masses, and in turn will help current childhood obesity campaigns (like Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign) adjust their target audience (from infancy on instead of age 8 and up). It is not only the parent’s responsibility to educate themselves, but also our health care system and government’s responsibility to ensure that mother’s of all ethnic backgrounds and races be educated on the healthiest (and most realistic) practices for our children.
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