New research shows a toddler's diet mirrors that of their mums, prompting calls for more to be done to support the eating habits of mothers who can't afford to eat healthy food.
A University of Sydney study, recently published in the British Journal of Nutrition, examined the diets of 243 mothers and their two-year-old children from a disadvantaged area in southwestern Sydney and found poor diet quality in children is strongly linked to low maternal socio-economic status.
It found toddlers raised by mothers who earned less than $40,000 per year were five times more likely to consume less than one serve of fruit a day compared with those of higher income mothers.
They were also four times more likely to consume hot fried chips two or more times a week.
Children born to mothers 25 or younger were three times more likely to consume more soft drink compared to those of older mothers.
Senior author Professor Vicki Flood suspects the father's diet would have similar influences on the child's eating habits.
"We're not ruling that out, we just don't have the data," she said.
Professor Flood acknowledged that the findings aren't surprising, but says they do provide evidence that more needs to be done to support the whole family, rather than just educating children about nutrition.
"It's not just about targeting the children, it's about thinking about the whole family," she said.
Childhood obesity is an increasing problem in Australia. Studies suggest that three times as many children are overweight or obese now than 30 years ago.
Current estimates in Australia suggest about one-in-five children are overweight or obese and there are many health complications associated with being obese.
"We know we have work to do, that message has been said before but maybe we need to start saying it in different ways," said Professor Flood.
Ensuring everyone has good access to healthy foods is essential, says lead author and dietitian Kanita Kunaratnam.
Making sure the food is culturally appropriate is also important, said Ms Kunaratnam. The study also showed migrant mothers are developing poor dietary habits.
"If we can get mums to adopt healthier food behaviours our study suggests it is likely their children will too," she added.
