Like Mother like daughter when it comes to obesity…

It feels like we’re constantly bombarded with the latest research about childhood obesity, but yesterday’s stats reported in the 'International Journal of Obesity' were really thought provoking.

The new study by the Plymouth's Peninsula Medical School has revealed a clear link in obesity between mothers and daughters and fathers and sons, but surprisingly there was no correlation across the gender divide.

It turns out that obese mothers are ten times more likely to have fat daughters than those of healthy weight and obese fathers are six times more likely to have obese sons – but in both cases children of the opposite sex were not affected.

According to the researchers, it's "highly unlikely" that genetics is playing a role in the findings as it would be unusual for them to influence children along gender lines. They are attributing the results to some form of "behavioural sympathy" where daughters copy the lifestyles of their mothers and sons their fathers.

Obviously this research leads to suggestions for interventions aimed more at parents than children. Professor Terry Wilkin, who published the findings in the International Journal of Obesity, said: 'It is the reverse of what we have thought and this has fundamental implications for policy. We should be targeting the parents and that is not something we have really done to date.'

It would be fascinating to establish if the same ‘mother / daughter’ principle also follows for more positive lifestyle factors such as exercise and physical activity. As the mother of three daughters it will encourage me to get my trainers on get running more often.