Study: Habits Less Healthy After Kids
Having children can mess up your health habits, a study suggests. Researchers surveyed 1,520 young adults. They were asked about their diet, exercise and weight. The average age of people in the study was 25. Some were parents, with children under age 5. Mothers consumed more calories, sugary drinks and fatty foods than women without children. They got less exercise â about 2 hours a week, compared with 3 hours for childless women. They also were more overweight. Mothers had an average body mass index (BMI) of 27, compared with 26 for women without children. A number of 25 or higher is considered overweight. Fathers and childless men were more alike. They ate about the same number of calories. Both had an average BMI of 25. But fathers got less exercise. They got about 5 hours a week, compared with nearly 7 hours for men without kids.