University of Sydney scientists have discovered that focusing solely on short-term solutions, including diet and exercise programs, is not enough to stop the rise in childhood obesity. The research was published in the journal BMC Medicine.
Scientists have found that the risk of obesity in adolescents depends on several factors, depending on gender. Greater participation in electronic games for men leads to a less active lifestyle. For girls, this factor was mostly poor quality sleep.
The study also found that children whose parents did not finish high school and who were socially disadvantaged were more likely to be overweight or obese in their middle teens. This explains why most current public health interventions to prevent childhood obesity have had limited success.
“We tend to ignore the root causes of childhood obesity, including social disadvantage,” the authors stressed.