Two distinct child obesity epidemics say Exeter University

Research by Exeter University suggests parenting is the fundamental influence on weight gain in the early years, whereas peer-group influences take over later on.

In a study of over 300 children academics found the rise in obesity among very young children was due to a small number with obese parents. In contrast obesity among adolescents was not restricted to those with obese parents.

The swell in numbers who were obese by five years came largely from the children of obese parents, and was not seen in the rest of the population. Outside the toddlers of obese parents, there was little change in BMI over a generation. In older children, the team also found an increase in obesity, but this time it affected the whole age group, regardless of parentage.