London, Sep 30  Children whose mothers work are likely to lead unhealthier lifestyles than those whose mums don't, says new research.

Children of working mum are more sedentary and are more likely to be driven to school. These findings are based on the responses of more than 12,500 five-year-old children who were part of the UK Millennium Cohort Study.

The mothers were quizzed about the hours they worked and their children's diet, exercise levels and sedentary activities. Mothers were also asked how much time their child spent in front of TV or computer each day.

Questions included how much sweets and crisps, sugary drinks, fruits and vegetables the child consumed and whether the child took part in organised exercise and how they got to school.

The findings showed that children whose mothers worked part or full time were more likely to primarily consume sugary drinks between meals than kids whose mothers had never worked.

These children were also more likely to spend the least hours a day in front of TV or computer, and they were more likely to be driven to school rather than walking or cycling.

Children whose mothers worked full time were also less likely to primarily snack on fruit and vegetables between meals or eat three or more portions of fruit a day.

"Our results do not imply that mothers should not work," wrote the study authors. "Rather, they highlight the need for policies and programmes to help support parents to create a healthy environment for their children."

These findings were published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.(IANS)