Parents should stay mum when it comes to talking about their daughter's weight or she may suffer from future weight problems, new research shows.
Young women who remembered hearing parental remarks about their weight when they were kids were more likely to be overweight as adults, according to the study led by Cornell University's Food & Brand Lab.
What's more, they also reported being less satisfied with their weight — even if they were slim.
Interestingly, it was comments about weight in particular that were damaging. Parental remarks about how much their daughter ate, for example, did not have the same effect.
The findings, published in the journal, Eating & Weight Disorders, come at a time when childhood obesity rates are still climbing.
For the Cornell study, about 500 young women between 20 and 35 were asked about their weight satisfaction, eating habits, and BMI. They also were asked to recall if their parents made weight-related or eating-related comments about them when they were kids.
Knowing that comments can have a lasting impact, what's a parent to do?
Brian Wansink, the study's lead author, offered this advice in a statement: "If you're worried about your child's weight, avoid criticizing them or restricting food. Instead, nudge healthy choices and behaviors by giving them freedom to choose for themselves and by making the healthier choices more appealing and convenient."
