Parental obesity linked to child development.

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Children of obese parents may be at risk for developmental delays, according to a study in Pediatrics. The investigators found that children of obese mothers were more likely to fail tests of fine motor skill--the ability to control movement of small muscles, such as those in the fingers and hands. Children of obese fathers were more likely to fail measures of social competence, and those born to extremely obese couples were more likely to fail tests that require problem-solving ability.

'The previous U.S. studies in this area have focused on the mothers' pre- and post-pregnancy weight," says first author Edwina Yeung, investigator in the Division of Intramural Population Health Research at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. "Our study is one of the few that also includes information about fathers, and our results suggest that dad's weight also has significant influence on child development."

Compared to children of normal-weight mothers, those of obese mothers were nearly 70% more likely to have failed the test indicator on fine motor skill by age three. Children of obese fathers were 75% more likely to fail...