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Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

Obesity Linked to Poor Mother-toddler Bond

Author:     DENISE MANN
Source:     CBS/WebMD
Publication Date:     12/26/2011 12:03
 Link: Obesity Linked to Poor Mother-toddler Bond
Stephan:   No one should be surprised by this. It is the consequence of social policies which make no allowance for fundamental human needs; that see no benefit to collective social awareness. That have no sense that wellness should be a national priority. American women get on average 3 months of maternity leave. Then the disappear from their child's life to a significant degree when they go back to work. The research on this is pretty straightforward. Mothers who are supported in focusing on their children, have healthier children. Prenatal care, and post-natal maternity support, works better and is cheaper. Why don't we do it? Because there is a large part of the population who believe government should neither provide nor support a social safety net. This failure of social and individual wellness is the inevitable result.

Tots who have a poor relationship with their moms are more likely to be obese by the time they turn 15, a new study shows.

So just how does a toddler’s less-than-stellar relationship with mom affect risk for being obese as a teen?

The reasons are not fully understood, but study researchers suggest these toddlers, when coping with stress, may begin to use food as a source of comfort in place of mom at a very early age. The findings appear in the January 2012 issue of Pediatrics.

One thing, however, is clear: Childhood obesity rates in the U.S. are getting higher. As it stands, about 1 in 3 children in the U.S. are overweight or obese and this includes pre-schoolers. This suggests that whatever is causing the uptick starts pretty early.

Relationship With Mom May Play Role in Childhood Obesity

Researchers analyzed close to 1,000 toddlers’ emotional bonds with their moms at 15 months, 2, and 3 years of age. They measured mom’s sensitivity during 15-minute videotaped play sessions. Maternal sensitivity refers to a mother’s ability to know what her child is feeling and respond with comfort, consistency, and warmth.

The researchers also looked for signs of ‘secure attachment’ among toddlers. This means that an […]

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