Children eating more outside the home
During the summer holidays parents have an opportunity to monitor the eating habits of their children and also encourage them to improve their fitness.However, new research from the US indicates that it is what children do outside the home that leads to obesity and related health problems.
According to research published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association, the leading cause for increases in energy intake among children between 1977 and 2006 is the amount of calorie-laden food and drinks consumed away from the home.
Studying the diet and fitness of 29,217 children across the nation, they found that the total proportion of calories eaten away from the home increased from 23.4 per cent to 33.9 per cent over the 30-year period.
"Overall, this study highlights the continuing rapid shifts in the sources of food for children in the US - both where it's eaten and where it's prepared," said Professor Barry M Popkin, from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health.
"These results underscore the need to deepen our understanding of food preparation and consumption patterns, and further pinpoint where research and programmatic activity should focus."
The news comes after researchers from Pennsylvania State University suggested hiding vegetables in children's food can help combat obesity rates.
