Attachment issues in children can lead to overeating, study finds

By Staff Writer

Young children who have attachment issues with their parents are at risk of becoming obese later in childhood, according to new research.

The report, which appears in the journal Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, is based on data collected on children who were born in the U.S. in 2001. Researchers from Ohio State University concluded that kids who show insecure attachment patterns were at least 30 percent more likely to be obese by age 4 and a half.

Psychologists describe securely attached children as those who rely on their parents, but who also feels comfortable to explore their environments freely. These children typically adapt easier to new people and can be comforted in stressful situations.

On the other hand, toddlers who have an unhealthy attachment to their parents, especially their mothers, respond to stress with fear, anger or anxiety. These children usually have difficulty interacting with new people, and some will even refuse to acknowledge the presence of other individuals outside of their immediate family.

The team concluded that young children who have attachment issues have overlapping regulatory areas of the brain that influence their emotional and stress responses, as well as their appetite and energy balances. Thus, they subconsciously use food to make them feel safe and less anxious.

Overweight adolescents may benefit from that physical activities that are offered at a summer boot camp.