A recently published article in the Associated Press refers to a new research study that states that, “the odds of obesity appear stacked against black and Hispanic children starting even before birth.” 

Researchers examined more than a dozen circumstances that have the potential to increase chances of obesity, and almost all of them were more common in black and Hispanic children.  These factors included eating and sleeping habits in infancy and early childhood and mothers smoking during pregnancy.

Some of the risk factors that were examined included: mothers smoking during pregnancy; unusually rapid weight gain in young infants; starting solid food before 4 months; children sleeping less than 12 hours daily between 6 months and 2 years; and allowing very young kids to have sugary drinks, fast-food, and/or TVs in their rooms. 

In a separate study researchers found signs of inflammation in obese children as young as 3 years old.  These high levels were more common in blacks and Hispanics.  These kinds of inflammatory markers linked with obesity have been shown to increase chances for developing heart disease.  University of North Carolina researcher Asheley Cockrell Skinner said that these results suggest that 3-year-olds with inflammation might already have artery changes that could make them more susceptible to later heart problems.

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