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The Herald:
Plymouth parents' lifestyles rather than genes are responsible for children being overweight, new research shows

11 February 2015

PARENTS' lifestyles, rather than their genes, are primarily responsible for their children being overweight, according to new research. Researchers at the Centre for Economic Performance compared the weight of biological and adopted children to that of their parents to determine whether children inherit their weight problems or whether they are the result of the environment they grow up in. Dr Joan Costa Font, associate professor of political economy at LSE, said: ''The good news is that our research shows that we can do something about children's weight problems.''

This article was published in the Plymouth Herald on February 11, 2015
Link to article here

Related publications
'Vertical transmission of overweight: Evidence from English adoptees', Joan Costa-i-Font, Mireia Jofre-Bonet and Julian Le Grand, Centre for Economic Performance Discussion Paper No.1324, January 2015

Related links
Joan Costa Font webpage
Wellbeing Programme webpage

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