- 'LOL' instead of a tip. Waitress receives unwelcome note on receipt
- Oops! Boy trips at museum, punches hole in painting worth $1.5 million
- Watch this dad's priceless reaction after his son picks out a doll at the toy store
- Heartbreaking: Rescue group discovers neglected horses with 3-foot-long hooves
- Reports: Man who reportedly shot, killed WDBJ news crew live on TV dies
Can birth order affect obesity risk? A new study comparing sisters may make being the older sibling a little less desirable.
Researchers from Sweden and New Zealand published their findings in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Not counting twins, the study found firstborn sisters were 29 percent more likely to be overweight and 40 percent more likely to be obese than second-born sisters.
- Read: Simple water trick leads to greater weight loss, study shows
- Read: Study suggests probiotics might boost weight loss in diet-based obesity
Similarly, a 2010 study found firstborn sons had a greater risk of being overweight than their later-born brothers.
The findings support the "resource dilution hypothesis" –– that, as family size grows, less food, money and attention are available. This leads to a negative effect on children's development both physically and mentally.
However, because the study isn't an experiment, we can't say for sure birth order affects, or causes, obesity.
This video includes images from Getty Images and Bob B. Brown / CC BY ND 2.0.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
