Children of working mothers have unhealthier lifestyles

Children whose mothers go out to work have poorer dietary habits than those whose mothers are not in paid employment, according to a new UCL study. The children furthermore are more sedentary, and are more likely to be driven to school than children whose mothers do not work outside the home, according to research published today by Professor Catherine Law (UCL Institute of Child Health) in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health . The researchers' findings are based on more than 12,500 five-year-old singleton children ' those who were not part of a multiple birth ' who were part of the UK Millennium Cohort Study. The mothers reported on the hours they worked and their children's usual dietary habits, exercise levels, and sedentary activities. Questions included how much sweets and crisps, sweetened drinks, fruits and vegetables the child consumed, whether they took part in organised exercise, and how they got to school. Mothers were also asked how long their child used a computer or TV each day. After taking account of factors likely to influence the results, such as maternal education and socioeconomic circumstances, the findings showed that children whose mothers worked part- or full-time were more likely to drink sweetened drinks between meals than children whose mothers had never worked.