Parental Stress Influences Children's Obesity

Bad parenting.

A high number of stressors in parents can cause a greater likelihood of children with obesity. Additionally, when parents feel stressed, their children consume fast food more frequently, in contrast to children whose parents are less stressed.

Elizabeth Prout-Parks, M.D., a physician nutrition specialist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and lead author of this study, published in the November issue of Pediatrics, says: "Stress in parents may be an important risk factor for child obesity and related behaviors. The severity and number of stressors are important."

Parent stressors that could be associated with childhood obesity include: leading a single-parent household, financial strain, and poor physical and mental health.

If stress (really, strain) causes you to adversely affect your kids, give 'em up to someone who can do a better job or get help pronto.