 [ Symptoms ] are women realistic about obesity [ Disease ] i have just gotten through reading a new survey detailing how women feel about the “o” word — obesity — as it relates to themselves their children family and friends the good news is that most women agree that obesity is a major issue this survey was unique because it is woman centric updating us about how women currently view the impact of obesity on their daily lives the online survey was conducted within the united states by harris interactive on behalf of the national non profit association healthywomen from august 24 26 2010 1 037 women ages 18 and older participated after reviewing the survey results a number of disconnects began to emerge here are some highlights from the survey 1 although 87 percent of women believe that there is a parental role in the cycle of obesity only 28 percent assign any responsibility to themselves fifty seven percent believed that a mother and father have equal influence on their child is potential for obesity reality research shows that a mother is obesity has a much great impact than a father is on their child at all ages mom is are still primarily in charge of grocery shopping and meal preparation kids tend to emulate their moms eating patterns 2 one in 10 women surveyed recognized that if she were obese in her first trimester her obesity more than doubles her child is risk of becoming obese forty six percent of women did not know if there was a mother child obesity connection in pregnancy and 11 percent felt there was no connection at all reality research from harvard medical school shows that the more weight a woman gains while pregnant the greater the child is chances are of being overweight by the age of three currently one in five women is obese at the time of her baby is conception which translates into 1 3 million annually 3 eighty percent of women believe that outside relationships can influence their becoming obese seventy two percent believe an obese family member can affect their obesity risk sixty percent think that a spouse or partner will significantly impact on their becoming obese or not less than one in three believes an obese friend can influence their weight reality research shows that a woman has a greater chance of becoming obese if her friend does there is a less effect for sibling or spouse 4 while 97 percent of women knew that obesity is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and diabetes only a thirty percent knew that it was also associated with gallstones and infertility b twenty five percent knew it could increase the risk of colon and breast cancer c and only 13 percent knew about the obesity uterine cancer connection the bottom line from this survey is that all women need to embrace and integrate these new facts into a “new normal” attitude about healthy lifestyles