A new study finds three household routines lower the risk of obesity in children: having family dinners, getting enough sleep and limiting weekday TV time. Four-year-olds in homes that followed these practices had a nearly 40 percent lower prevalence of obesity than children who did none of these things. Of course childhood obesity – a soaring phenomenon in America – ultimately is fueled by poor diet and lack of exercise. But increasingly scientists have been able to tie other lifestyle factors to weight gain. Obesity raises the risk of diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5 percent in 1980 to 19.6 percent in 2008, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each routine on its own was associated with lower obesity, and more routines translated to lower obesity prevalence. The links held up even when other obesity risks were factored in. ‘The routines were protective even among groups that typically have a high risk for obesity,’ said Sarah Anderson, assistant professor of epidemiology at Ohio State University and lead author of the study. ‘This is important because it suggests […]