A new study suggests that, despite public opinion to the contrary, mothers who go to work do not harm their children's health, especially if the employment is part-time.

Researchers from the University of New England (UNE) found kids of mothers with a flexible work schedule had healthier lifestyles and were at a lower risk of obesity and other diseases.

Co-author and associate professor Jan Nicholson, principal research fellow at Melbourne’s Murdoch Children’s Research Institute said, "Although employment reduces the time parents spend at home, mothers go to considerable lengths to insulate time with their children.

"They reschedule activities, sleep less and allocate less time to personal care and leisure to ensure that time with children is protected."

Details of the study
The researchers evaluated the co-relation between part-time maternal employment and a child’s health for their project “Do Working Mothers Raise Couch Potato Kids?”

They examined more than 4500 pre-schoolers in Australia and held face-to-face discussions with their moms about the dietary and physical activity/inactivity of the kids.

Additionally, the investigators measured their child’s height and weight at age four to five and then tracked it again after two years when the children were aged six to seven.

The researchers found children of mums with flexible work arrangements were inclined to watch about an hour less television each week as opposed to those whose mothers were working full-time or not at all.

Besides watching less TV, they snacked less on fizzy drinks and junk food and were more driven towards exercise.

Why are kids of part-time mothers healthier?
The experts speculate that mothers who work part-time try to compensate by being more involved in child rearing and making the right choices in the time they spend with them.

Though the women need the stimulation and distraction that work brings them they also believe in the concept of spending 'quality time' with their kids.

"Quality time" is perhaps better than nagging or fussing over children or just neglecting them and letting them be on their own.

Jan Nicholson stated, “When mothers work part-time, there’s obviously something about the way the house is run, and the way parents are looking after their children that is protective.”

Some more explanations
Experts theorize that kids of career-oriented women may be unhealthy because the mothers are forever juggling between work and parenthood because of lack of time.

However, the researchers were quite fazed by the unhealthy kids of stay-at-home mothers despite them having ample time to provide a stable and healthy environment. They feel there is need for more research to understand this phenomenon.