Smaller families, fatter children

28 August 2015 - 09:38 By ©The Daily Telegraph

The obesity crisis might be partly driven by women having fewer children. New research suggests that first-borns are far more likely to be overweight.A study of nearly 30,000 sisters found that those born first were 29% more likely to be overweight as adults, and 40% more likely to be obese. They were also slightly taller.It is thought that first-borns tend to be larger because, as the only child, they did not have to share family resources such as food, affection and care.Other studies suggest that first-borns often suffer malnutrition in the womb, which can trigger epigenetic changes in metabolism, such as a heightened tendency to store fat, which continues into later life.Whatever the reason, researchers at the University of Auckland, in New Zealand, believe that shrinking family sizes could be contributing to the general rise in adult body mass in most developed countries.The average family is now 1.9 individuals, compared to 2.4 in the 1980s, meaning there are far more one-child families."There has been a steady decline in birth rates worldwide, especially in Europe," said University of Auckland's Professor Wayne Cutfield."Numerous factors account for this, such as one-child government policies, personal choice and economic constraints."We showed that first-born women have a higher body-mass index and are more likely to be overweight or obese than their sisters."Weight gain is a risk factor for many health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.Previous studies have shown that first-borns are at greater risk of health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, in later life than their siblings...

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