A project at the Rowett Institute in Aberdeen hopes to shed more light on the vexed topic of childhood obesity. The RASCAL (Rowett Assessment of Childhood Appetite and Metabolism) initiative is run by Dr Diane Jackson.
She chose to concentrate on children from the age of two to six because this is when many lifelong habits form. There is little information specifically relating to pre-school children.
The three-year study is funded by the Scottish Executive amid fears that obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in Scotland. Dr Jackson says, 'Over the past 20 to 30 years obesity levels have doubled, if not tripled, even in the pre-school age group. It is essential that we come up with solutions to this problem.'
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