Grandparents ‘overfeeding’ grandchildren

LONDON: Parents have long suspected their children are being spoilt during stays with grandma and granddad but are probably too grateful for the babysitting to complain.

And the grandparents may think that they are being kind when they bring out the sweets or serve second helpings.

However, spoiling the younger generation may not be doing them any good, according to academics who said children looked after by their grandparents were found to be more overweight.

A study of more than 15 000 three-year-olds found those most often looked after by their maternal grandmother were 20% more likely to be on the chubby side.

An academic review of 56 studies suggests that when the older generation “demonstrate their love” with goodies and extra portions, grandchildren’s health may be suffering.

The review, led by the University of Glasgow, says: “For weight-related studies, grandparents were characterised by parents as indulgent, misinformed and as using food as an emotional tool within their relationships with grandchildren.”

However, it was not all bad news. The authors of the review found evidence of grandparents’ significant roles in supporting their grandchildren and improving their emotional wellbeing.

Grandparents are increasingly involved in children’s lives as more women choose to work and childcare costs rise.

The review looked at studies across 18 countries. It found parents believed grandparents fed their children food too high in sugar and fat.

While home-cooked meals made from scratch were welcome, grandparents stood accused of “overfeeding” children. And grandparents admitted to using food to control youngsters’ behaviour or as a reward for their achievements.

The review includes a 2001 study of 300 children from Leeds from nine to 11 years old who reported that, on the whole, their grandparents “indulged” them.

Elsewhere, a British study from 2010 found children ranging from nine months to three years old were significantly more likely to be overweight when their grandparents provided childcare. In the UK, grandparents are estimated to save parents billions every year in childcare costs.

Lead author Dr Stephanie Chambers, from the University of Glasgow, said: “Currently grandparents are not the focus of public health messaging targeted at parents and, in light of the evidence from this study, perhaps this is something that needs to change, given the prominent role grandparents play in the lives of children.”

The review, on grandparents who were not primary carers for grandchildren, concludes that they had an adverse impact on the youngsters’ health, with issues including “treating”, overfeeding and lack of physical activity.

These were said to increase children’s cancer risk, along with second-hand cigarette smoke.

Professor Linda Bauld, Cancer Research UK’s prevention expert, said: “If healthy habits begin early in life, it’s much easier to continue them as an adult.”

It comes weeks after National Child Measurement Programme figures showed nearly a quarter of children in Britain are overweight by the time they start school. – Daily Mail

Characterised by parents as indulgent and misinformed