Young children who are regularly looked after by their grandparents have an increased risk of being overweight, an extensive British study has suggested.

Analysis of 12,000 three-year olds suggested the risk was 34% higher if grandparents cared for them full time.

The study used data from the Millennium Cohort Study, which looked at the health of children aged between nine months and three years old, who had been born in the UK between 2000 and 2001.

The results showed that those looked after by grandparents part-time had a 15% higher risk of being overweight for their age compared with those solely looked after by their parents.

Those who were cared for by their grandparents full-time had a 34% increased risk of being overweight, the University College London team found.

Wow shocking if you ask me…both my children have been cared for extensively by their Grandparents!

However I did get very clear what my values were and was and was not important to me when it came to their health  and verbalised them to their grandparents. If the mark was over stepped I reminded them of the conversation and things got back on track quickly. Parents need to treat any childcare the same and get clear how they want to be treated and not just assume because it is their grandparents they know what you want.

I think Grandparents do an amazing job and more support should be given to them regarding the childcare they provide.