Overweight youngsters eat less than their skinny peers, suggests new research.
A study of almost 20,000 children found that obese or overweight youngsters aged between nine and 17 consumed fewer calories than those of a healthy weight.
It was only among younger children that the heaviest ate the most, suggesting our early eating habits influence our weight for life.
The study by paediatric researchers at the University of North Carolina’s Medical School examined the diets of 19,125 hildren aged from one to 17. They assessed the children’s body mass index against their daily diet and analysed their calorie intake.