London, June 30 (ANI): A new study has found that grandmothers doesn't always know best when it comes to a child's diet.
The report by the University of Helsinki warns that children looked after by their grandparents may be more likely to be overweight, the Independent reported.
All those sugary treats and ice creams are increasing the rate of childhood obesity, which carries a greater risk of premature death, as well as an increased chance of diabetes and heart disease.
One in every three children aged three who were looked after by grandparents was obese, the study found.
The results flip tradition on its head. In the past, and in traditional societies today, grandparental care has always been crucial to improving child survival rates. But not in today's affluent world.
The research was based on 9,000 families in the UK.
Psychologists said the findings suggested grandparents were exacerbating the trend towards less healthy eating patterns.
Aric Sigman, a health education lecturer and psychologist, also pointed to the fact that grand- parents today are older than ever, which means "their nutritional understanding is from a different era so their simple understanding of what makes children fat is not as developed as that of later generations".
The study is published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology. (ANI)