Children whose mothers work part-time are less likely to be
overweight than children whose mums are in full-time work or not in
the workforce, according to new Australian research.
The Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, in collaboration with
the University of New England and the Australian National
University, looked at the impact of mothers' hours of paid work on
children's lifestyle and weight at ages 4-5 years and 6-7 years,
using data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children.
The study, published by Social Science & Medicine,
found at both ages, children whose mothers worked part-time were
less likely to be overweight, watched less TV, ate less junk food
and were more physically active than children whose mothers were
working full-time or at home full-time.
Author A/Professor Jan Nicholson, of the Murdoch Childrens
Research Institute, said the study, the first of its kind to report
on maternal working hours, demonstrated the positive impact of
part-time work for mothers with young children.
"What we're seeing is that mums who work part-time are better
able to balance their work demands with family life, and are more
able to monitor their children's eating habits and activities,
which has direct health benefits for children," she said.
"We need to find ways to provide full-time working parents with
the ability to do that by promoting family-friendly work
policies."
A/Professor Nicholson said it was less clear why children whose
mothers were not in the workforce had similar risks for unhealthy
lifestyles as children with mums in full-time work.
"It is possible that work, when it allows mothers to balance the
demands of home and family, may lead to mothers spending more time
with their children on activities that have benefits for their
children's healthy lifestyles."