Study: Toddlers may be overweight because their mothers are often oblivious to them being too heavy and encourage them to eat more

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/toddlers-grow-fat-on-mums-diet-of-love/story-fndo45r1-1226463413854

Toddlers grow fat on mums' diet of love

Janelle Miles

• September 03, 2012

TODDLERS may be overweight because their mums are often oblivious to them being too heavy and encourage them to eat more, a study has found.

"A survey of almost 300 mums with children aged 12-16 months found many were unable to correctly identify whether their toddler was underweight, an ideal weight for their height, or overweight.

Dietician Rebecca Byrne, of the Queensland University of Technology, found while 32 per cent of the toddlers in the study were overweight, only 4 per cent, or 12, were considered too heavy by their mums.

She said the mothers of 27 children thought they were too thin but only one of the toddlers was actually underweight, while the rest were of normal size."