Individuals With Children Consume More Saturated Fats Than Those Without

Adults with kids in the home eat more saturated fat—the equivalent of about one frozen pepperoni pizza each week—than do adults who don’t live with children, scientists report.

"This study really points out that we need to focus on the family as a whole, that the entire family needs to eat healthier, the parents and the children,” said lead researcher Helena Laroche of the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine.

The study also found that adults with children dined on more “convenience foods," including cheese, ice cream, cakes and cookies, beef, pizza and salty snacks.

The scientists analyzed information from the federal government's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1991 and 1994.


They looked at answers from 6,600 adults aged 17 to 65, about half of whom lived with children and half without children under 17 years old. About half of the participants were male and half female, with an average age of 38 years old.

Adults living in households with children ate an additional 4.9 grams of fat daily, including 1.7 grams of saturated fat, than adults living without children.
The about two grams of daily saturated fat is significant, Laroche said, because it has been linked to an increase in the type of cholesterol that leads to a build-up of fat in blood vessels.


SOURCE:
LiveScience.com

While it does state that "While it doesn’t prove the presence of
children causes adults to eat more fat..", I think the truth is
quite obvious.

When you have kids, who end up eating food that's bad for
them, the adults are going to end up having the same dietary
habits as well.

What needs top be done is a fixing of the dietary habits of both
adult and child.


Comments, Opinions?

Wow good one and your absolutly right. I have a son and I do tend to eat garbage foods some nights of the week. Interesting. I think the reason is is because parents want their kids to eat healthy but they also want them to eat something.

I defenatly give in when my little guy dosnt like the meal I prepaired for him so I make him something he does like. or I smother the food that he won't like in cheese and he wolfs it down.

Cheese is the key

I totally agree with the findings. When the boys were younger we would give them treats like crisps, lollies, cookies, processed meats, not so much McD's or KFC (we could not always afford it) but more processed and quick packaged stuff, supplemented by veges and fruits.

My 3 boys are all grown up now and our diet has drastically changed....for the better

Even when any of them join us for a meal we note that their tastes have changed too.

All 5 of us tend to eat more fruits and veges, we do not eat frozen or quick dried meals.

All 4 males are very slim, no body fat but I am 50 and full bodied !!!

Before I had my children I was very slim and worked out a lot but mums tend to pick at their children's food and fall into the grazing trap.




[edit on 1-1-2007 by resistancia]