Washington, Feb 8 : Mothers in chaotic households are likely to be obese, according to a new study.

The researchers found that although mothers' weight increases along with household instability, their young children's weight does not.

Thirty-eight percent of mothers in low-instability households were obese, while nearly 48 percent in high-instability households were obese.

The researchers also looked at parental stress (for instance, whether mothers felt alone or trapped by their responsibilities), financial instability and ability to keep food on the table.

The average age of the mothers was 28, and 40 percent of children did not have a father in the house.

"My interest is to look at the intersection between the home environment and the neighborhood environment and see how those intersections influence obesity," said lead author Earle Chambers, Ph. D. as saying.

Access to healthy places to eat and exercise space can make a difference, he added.

The study appears in the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved. (ANI)