So much for the myth that chasing kids around all day keeps you slim. According to a new study in the journal Social Science and Medicine, childless adults stay thinner for longer than those with kids.
The fascinating study, which tracked changes in body mass index (BMI) levels (a ratio of height to weight) among 3,617 adults over a 15-year period, found that different life choices affect weight gain.
While parents reached an average BMI in the obese zone (over 30) by 55, those without children only hit the overweight zone (25 to 29) at the same age.
Men and women who have their first child at around 26-27 years of age gain the least weight over time than those both younger and older. (The lower socioeconomic status of most younger parents tends to increase the risk for obesity, according to Debra Umberson, professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin.)
Those who have children later in life feel the effects of mid-life weight, packing on around 3 to 4 pounds a year, together with the lifestyle restrictions of parenthood that further promote weight gain.
Fathers gain even more weight than moms, due to reduced exercise time and a decrease in substance abuse, such as smoking and heavy drinking.
“Parenthood imposes pressure for routine and new responsibilities such as staying sober and healthy to care for children,” says Umberson. “Given that smoking and heavy drinking are more prevalent among men, they are more likely to gain weight due to lifestyle behavioral changes.”
Umberson cautions that parents need to keep close tabs on their weight, since the gain happens incrementally over the years.
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