Mommy Wars: Working mothers have fatter kids, study says

Research shows children whose mothers stay home have healthier lifestyles

If you're following the often vitriolic "Mommy Wars," score one for stay-at-home moms. New research shows that children whose mothers work outside the home are less likely to lead a healthy lifestyle.

British kids whose moms were employed full or part time drank more sugary beverages between meals, used the television or computer more frequently and were driven to school more often than children whose mothers stayed home. A working mom's offspring also ate fewer fruits and vegetables than one who had a stay-at-home parent, according to the study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

About 60 percent of British and American women now enter or re-enter the work force after having children. This means, the study authors speculate, that mothers may have less time to make sure their children eat right and exercise. It may also mean they have less time to take care of themselves.

Still, it seems unfair to place the burden on working moms. What about working dads? Fathers weren't included in the study because their working patterns haven't changed much in recent decades, whereas the number of working mothers has increased dramatically, said the researchers with Britain's Institute of Child Health.

But in the U.S., the recession has changed that. For men, the unemployment rate is running 2.7 percentage points higher than for women, according to economist Mark Perry at the University of Michigan at Flint. And some speculate that in the coming decade, the wage gap will narrow as women move into high-paying fields and spend more time at work.

That's created a new player in the "Mommy Wars." But so far, there's no word on how a stay-at-home dad impacts a child's health.