Study says having a younger sister increases your chances of being overweight
| Jun 6, 2019, 17:44 IST
Even if the popular culture hadn’t bombarded us with this notion, we’d still agree – having a sister (especially if you’re a girl yourself) is a whole lot of fun. You can talk about all kinds of things together, share things and clothes and learn from each other’s mistakes. But what if, we told you that having a younger sister is the reason why you may be overweight?
Before you scoff it off, hold on. Humour us. There is scientific proof. A Swedish research study observed this phenomenon by observing 13,406 pairs of sisters born in the years 19991 and 2009. The study found that first-borns have a greater BMI and more likely to be obese. The study also stated that older sisters were slightly lighter than the younger sisters when they were born but as they grew up and expected children themselves, their BMI rose 2.4% more.
On top of that, they found that sisters who were born earlier are 29% more likely to be overweight than their younger sisters. They are also 40% more likely to be obese.
But what could be the cause of these findings? One theory is scientific. According to Professor Wayne Cutfield from the Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland, the blood vessels that supply nutrients to the fetus seem to be slightly thinner in cases of first pregnancies. As a result, there is a possible reduction of nutrient supply, causing the individual to be at risk of storing more fat and having insulin that works less effectively later in life.
Sibling rivalry could be another possibility. “Maybe the first-born competes with the second-born for food in the household. Maybe more money gets spent on the firstborn,” theorizes Gary Sacks of Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia who thinks that it would be interesting to examine possible social causes.
Which one do you agree with? Let us know in comments below.
Before you scoff it off, hold on. Humour us. There is scientific proof. A Swedish research study observed this phenomenon by observing 13,406 pairs of sisters born in the years 19991 and 2009. The study found that first-borns have a greater BMI and more likely to be obese. The study also stated that older sisters were slightly lighter than the younger sisters when they were born but as they grew up and expected children themselves, their BMI rose 2.4% more.
On top of that, they found that sisters who were born earlier are 29% more likely to be overweight than their younger sisters. They are also 40% more likely to be obese.
But what could be the cause of these findings? One theory is scientific. According to Professor Wayne Cutfield from the Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland, the blood vessels that supply nutrients to the fetus seem to be slightly thinner in cases of first pregnancies. As a result, there is a possible reduction of nutrient supply, causing the individual to be at risk of storing more fat and having insulin that works less effectively later in life.
Sibling rivalry could be another possibility. “Maybe the first-born competes with the second-born for food in the household. Maybe more money gets spent on the firstborn,” theorizes Gary Sacks of Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia who thinks that it would be interesting to examine possible social causes.
Which one do you agree with? Let us know in comments below.