This study will be published in the upcoming issue of the journal, Pediatrics, reports MSNBC.

It is significant because it shows that three daily family routines for four-year-old children slashed the obesity risk by 40 percent in a study which examined 8, 550 4-year-olds in all parts of the U.S. These routines, says the full story, even offered benefits to children at higher risk for obesity.

The three routines are:

1. Family dinners at least five times per week.

2. 10.5 hours of sleep per night.

3. Limit kids to less than two hours per day of TV on week-days.

MSNBC

“A new study finds three household routines lower the risk of obesity in children: having family dinners, getting enough sleep and limiting weekday TV time.

“Four-year-olds in homes that followed these practices had a nearly 40 percent lower prevalence of obesity than children who did none of these things.

“Of course childhood obesity — a soaring phenomenon in America — ultimately is fueled by poor diet and lack of exercise. But increasingly scientists have been able to tie other lifestyle factors to weight gain.”

Source: MSNBC, February 8, 2010

Citation: Pending. Study scheduled for publication in March, 2010, issue, Journal of Pediatrics.