A new study by researchers at the University of Auckland (New Zealand) and Uppsala University (Sweden) shows that birth order plays an important role in deciding women’s weight. Older women are 29% more at risk of being overweight than their younger sisters.
To reach these conclusions, the researchers analyzed health data from 13,400 pairs of sisters. Their results show that older girls are 40% more likely to be obese than their younger sisters. They were on average larger too.
The researchers noted that their study strengthens studies already done on men, and shows that a similar trend exists in women. As with their male counterparts, the first born of a sibling have a higher BMI than the younger sisters.
According to the researchers, who published their findings in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, older girls may even be at higher risk for diabetes and high blood pressure. The reasons for this phenomenon are not well understood by experts. Nevertheless, this study could explain why the obesity rate continues to rise.
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