Childhood Fast-Food Consumption Tied to Weight Gain

A new Dartmouth-led study has been conducted to look at the link between fast-food consumption among preschool age children and their likelihood of becoming overweight or obese later in life. This study followed a sample size of 500 preschool aged children throughout the course of one year. Their weight and height were measured at the beginning and the end of the study, and the parents recorded the fast-food intake of the children throughout the year. It was found that eight percent of the participants transitioned to a greater weight status throughout the one-year period of the study. The findings from this study show the impact that fast-food consumption has on increasing risks of children retaining weight and becoming overweight or obese. While there can be other factors in life that could cause weight gain in children, it is worth examining the impact that fast-food specifically has on the health status of children. These findings could be used to help form policies and guidelines to reduce the fast-food marketing exposure to children and help to support parents to adjust their eating behaviors to make better nutritional choices. 

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/02/200214134723.htm