Grandparents As Parents

Children who are looked after by their grandparents face a heightened risk of obesity, researchers have warned.

A study by scientists at University College London found that children who are regularly cared for by the older generation are up to one-third more likely to be overweight than their peers.

The team believe they are overfed by their doting grandparents, who are more likely to ply them with fatty and sugary treats and less likely to take part in physical games.

Lead researcher Professor Catherine Law, whose team studied 12,000 three-year-olds, told the Daily Mail: 'We can only hypothesise about what might be causing this, but grandparents have the wherewithal to be more indulgent, to offer takeaways and for children to be inactive.

'We're not suggesting the care is deficient, they have a big role to play, but they may not know what children need to eat for a healthy diet,' she added.

The findings are published in the International Journal of Obesity and may be significant, as many of the UK's children are cared for by grandparents during school holidays while their parents are at work.
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