Children Living with Married Parents Less Likely to Develop Obesity: Study

Children of married couples are less likely to develop obesity, according to a new study.

Childhood obesity can lead to health complications like glucose intolerance, hypertension and high cholesterol.

The study was conducted by researchers from Rice University and the University of Houston, who found that the rate of obesity was higher for children living with an adult relative (29 percent), single mother (23 percent) and cohabitating stepparent family (23 percent), while it was lower for children living with married parents (17 percent).

"Childhood obesity is a significant public health issue in our country, with nearly one-third of all U.S. children ages 2-17 overweight or obese. Despite this, very little research has been conducted to explore the impact of family structure on this epidemic," said Rachel Kimbro, associate professor of sociology at Rice University, and co-author of the study.

The study also found that children living with single fathers and with married stepparents had lower obesity rates of 15 percent.

"Previous research has shown that single-father households tend to have more socio-economic resources than single-mother households. And since socio-economic status is the single greatest predictor of health, it serves to explain why children in single-father households may be less likely to be obese," Kimbro added in a news release.

The data for the study came from 10,400 children enrolled in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Birth Cohort. Data collection began in the year 2001 when the children were 9 months old. The study had information about the children's height, weight, cognitive abilities, as well as family background.

The study "Family Structure and Obesity Among U.S. Children" is published in the Journal of Applied Research on Children: Informing Policy for Children at Risk.