Obesity is an increasingly widespread problem among children. According to the World Health Organization, in 2010 there were already 42 million overweight children worldwide. Now, a study published in the journal Public Health Nutrition has revealed that low-educated parents feed their children more obesity-related foods, such as those containing fat and sugar.
These results come from an international study called "Identification and prevention of health effects induced by diet and lifestyle in children", with information on more than 14,000 children from different European countries , including Spain. After analyzing the data, the researchers concluded that parents with a high educational level offer their children a more balanced diet and with products of higher nutritional quality. "The greatest differences between families of different educational levels were observed in the consumption of fruits, vegetables and sugary drinks ," Juan Miguel Fernández Alvira, one of the authors, from the University of Zaragoza, explained to SINC.
These data are important when developing programs to promote a balanced diet in children. "Programs for the prevention of childhood obesity through the promotion of healthy eating should specifically and specifically address those socio-economically disadvantaged groups, with the aim of minimizing health inequalities", concluded Fernández Alvira.
