Galway Bay fm newsroom - An NUI Galway study has found that 1 in 5 mothers is unable to tell if her child is overweight or obese at the age of 3.
The study, carried out by Dr. Michelle Queally, has been published in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
The report found a number of contributing factors to a mothers failure to recognise their child's overweight or obesity status.
These include if the child is a girl; if the child had a higher birth weight; if the mother is obese; income levels; employment and martial status; and urban living.
A key finding of the report is that childhood obesity is 'disproportionately characteristic' of low-income families.
It identified missed opportunities for healthcare professionals to improve education and early interventions to help parents recognise healthy weights.
