A new study lays a huge hunk of the blame for increased childhood obesity at the feet of working mothers. A study conducted by the British Institute of Child Health of 12,500 five-year-olds found that “those with working mothers [were] less active and more likely to eat unhealthy food,” according to the BBC.

“[Researchers] took into account factors likely to influence the results, such as the mothers’ level of education and socioeconomic circumstances,” the BBC reported. “They found that five-year-olds whose mothers worked part-time or full-time were more likely to primary consume sweetened drinks between meals. They used their computers or watched television for at least two hours a day compared to the children of ‘stay at home’ mothers who spent less than two hours on these activities. They were also more likely to be driven to school compared to the children of ‘stay at home’ mothers who tended to walk or cycle.”

When asked why fathers’ work habits weren’t taken into consideration in the study, the lead author told the BBC that “fathers’ employment levels had not changed whereas the numbers of working mothers had increased dramatically.”

Saying that she’s not telling mothers to not work, the author said, “Time constraints may limit parents’ capacity to provide their children with healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity.” (October 2009)