TORONTO, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- Children of highly stressed parents have a body mass index about 2 percent higher than those whose parents are mellow, Canadian researchers say.
Dr. Ketan Shankardass, a social epidemiologist with St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto and Wilfrid Laurier University, said 2 percent might sound low, but it's significant because it is happening in children, whose bodies and eating and exercise habits are still developing. Plus, if that weight gain continues and is compounded over a lifetime, it could lead to serious obesity and health issues said Shankardass, the lead author for the study.