Do working mum make healthy children?

The study of 4,500 Australian pre-schoolers found those whose mothers worked some of the week were less likely to eat junk food, watch TV and over the course of the two-year research period were less likely to become overweight.The authors suggested that mothers who worked part-time went to "considerable lengths" to ensure the time they did spend with their children was high quality.

"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," said Jan Nicholson of Melbourne's Murdoch Children's Research Institute.