Children without siblings have higher risk of obesity

According to a study conducted among 3,000 children in Ankara, being an only child may have a higher risk of obesity. The study was unveiled during the conference on "Childhood Obesity" at the Ankara University (AÜ) Faculty of Medicine. Sinan İbiş, the head of the Medical Tourism Association, said the study was carried out by interviewing 3,280 children, 130 teachers and 3,510 parents. The project focused on evaluating the obesity condition and dietary habits of adolescents, on children aged between 11 and 17, along with their parents and teachers.

İbiş said children use their mothers and teachers as role models. The study thoroughly assesses children and their families' eating habits and to what extent children use technology in daily life. İbiş said 4.6 percent of the children surveyed who have siblings are moderately overweight, while 4.7 percent of them are diagnosed with obesity. The study further demonstrates that children of working women have a higher risk of obesity. It is found that 4.8 percent of children, whose mothers do not work, were found to be moderately overweight, while the rate increased to 5.7 percent among children with working mothers. "The obesity rate among children whose mothers do not work is 0.9 percent less than the other group. On the other side, the obesity rate among children whose fathers do not work is 7.6 percent," said Ibiş. In contrast, the obesity rate among children with working fathers is 4.9 percent. İbiş said the obesity rate among children with unemployed fathers is 2.7 percent higher.

İbiş also emphasized that parents must encourage their children to have breakfast at home. "If children do not have regular breakfast at home, they have a 3.7 percent higher risk of becoming moderately overweight and 2.2 percent higher risk of obesity," he said. Children who have breakfast at home have a 2.4 percent risk of being moderately overweight and a 3.4 percent risk of obesity.Similarly, the study shows that children who sit at a computer for more than an hour have a higher risk of obesity. According to study findings, children who spend up to one hour in front of the television have a 4.3 percent risk of obesity, followed by those who spend up to two hours with the risk at 4.6 percent. Children who watch up to three hours of television have a 6.1 percent risk of obesity, while the risk for those who watch up to four hours is 6.5 percent.

Introduced with the theme "Fazla Kiloları Taşımayın" (Do not carry extra weight), the conference was organized by the Association of Medical Tourism.