Michigan News
(2009-04-13)
A girl plays in a fountain on a hot day
A new University of Michigan study finds young children who have problems with delaying gratification will likely face problems with obesity later in life.
U of M researchers conducted a simple study. They would place a 4 year old alone in a room with a cookie. The children were told if they would wait seven minutes they would get a bigger cookie. About half couldn't wait. Those that couldn't delay that gratification were 29% more likely to be overweight by age 11.
Julie Lumeng is a developmental and behavioral pediatrician with the University of Michigan Health System. She says it isn't clear whether this is a case of nature versus nurture.
"There may be some kids out there, no matter how good a job you do parenting, they are just going to have a hard time delaying gratification for food," says Lumeng.
The study appears in the April issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association's Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine © Copyright 2010, Michigan Radio
