Obese kids won’t have school lunches or C-sections to blame for weight gain

Don’t try and link obesity in children, a new study disproves earlier findings that C-sections contributed to early weight-gain. (AP Photo)

Research that seemed to provide an easy answer for why more and more kids are becoming overweight has been debunked. Apparently, there just isn’t a substitute for healthy foods and playtime to ensure that kids don’t become obese.

The original findings from a Brazilian study said that children born via C-section were more likely to be fat, stating obesity could be linked to the “hygiene hypothesis.” It suggests a person’s immune system develops differently when they’re not exposed to beneficial bacteria (from the birth canal) early in life.

The correlation with a child’s weight was disproved in a second study when researchers accounted for factors that could have influenced the results, such as family income, birth weight, schooling and the mother’s weight, height, age and smoking habits.

Of course, who doesn’t love a set of chubby cheeks? The problem isn’t necessarily baby fat, it’s when obesity continues through childhood.

Fully aware of the continuing obesity epidemic is First Lady Michelle Obama, who has been out promoting the healthy school lunch.

The first lady and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the new guidelines during a visit last Wednesday with a group of elementary students. Mrs. Obama, joined by celebrity chef Rachael Ray, said youngsters will learn better if they don’t have growling stomachs at school.

Those growling stomachs, however, will be filled with healthier ingredients. Under the new rules, pizza won’t disappear from lunch lines, but will be made with health in mind. Entire meals will have calorie caps for the first time and most trans fats will be banned. Sodium will gradually decrease over a 10 year period and milk will have to be low in fat and flavored milks will have to be non-fat.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.