Researchers have recently demonstrated that parental authority, whether strict or on the contrary lax, has a role to play in the weight gain of children growing up.
We already knew that educational excesses, like being a helicopter parent, could harm children, both psychologically and developmentally. On the other hand, what was less known is that certain types of education can also have an impact on the weight of a child. A serious study, conducted by researchers at Imperial College London and published in The Guardian, looked into the subject by analyzing data on more than 10,000 children in the UK, as well as their parents. Each participant had to complete questionnaires. The results highlighted two styles of parenting, at opposite ends of each other, which would be harmful: overbearing and unwelcoming parents and the neglectful parents. Scientists have observed that children whose parents adopted these behaviors were more likely to be overweight or obesity.
The child does not know satiety
In these two types of cases, faced with an authoritarian or lax parent, the child has more difficulty control their diet, “meaning he can overindulge when he gets the chance.” In particular, the researchers noticed that he could not recognize the feeling of satiety : “eating when hungry and stopping eating when full is not developing properly.” How to explain this? “Bossy moms are demanding and in control. They don’t pick up on their child’s hunger cues. They do not allow them to choose a snack when they are hungry and/or they exercise control over the child’s diet, for example by pushing him to clean his plate when he is not hungry”, reports The Guardian. For negligent parents, who are not involved in the life of their child, the cause is quite different: “No rules are given. Children are free to choose unhealthy food options,” without them knowing it.
For Professor Louise Baur, President of the World Obesity Federation, “This study underscores the fundamental importance that parents have in raising healthy children.” He also adds that today in the world, “it is often difficult for children and families to eat well (…) Parents who are able to set boundaries for their child, while providing warmth and sensitivity, may be better able to help their child be healthy.” In France, around 17% of children aged 6 to 17 are overweight, including 4% who are obese.