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June 10, 2008 12:00am

DAILY we are being inundated with warnings about obesity and the resultant epidemic of type-2 diabetes likely to engulf western nations soon.

The solution of more exercise and a healthy diet is important, but a significant factor has been overlooked: the role of mothers.

I am not about to blame mothers. I recall with fondness the mother-in-law Marie, in Everybody Loves Raymond, explaining dolefully why she doesn't like psychiatrists: "They always blame the mother."

I sympathise with Marie

Mothers are not the only influences for good or ill on children, but they do get more than their share of blame if something goes wrong.

However, in the fight to keep kids from getting fat, the role of the stay-at-home mum is being seen as increasingly important.

There is substantial evidence that the tendency to become fat is established early in life, which is why breast-feeding rather than bottle-feeding is so vital.

Breast milk has superior nutritional value and, just as importantly, the infant has to suckle energetically to get the milk.

With bottles the milk flows easily, and whoever is bottle-feeding the baby is inclined to encourage the baby to empty the bottle, when the amount may be more than the baby needs.

This is why bottle-fed babies put on more weight than breastfed babies.

The World Health Organisation and the Australian Health Department recommend babies be given only breast milk for the first six months.

To achieve this, a mother cannot be separated from her baby for any substantial time.

WHO also recommends breastfeeding should continue for the first two years of the infant's life.

I am not critical of mothers who do not achieve these ideals.

Government policy, economic pressures and a quest for social and professional status coerce or encourage women to leave infants in long day care while they pursue careers or work to pay mortgages.

For the health of infants, the very least governments can do is to give direct to parents the subsidies given to childcare centres. Governments are fattening the profits of childcare centres - and fattening children in the process.

But it is not only in infancy that the role of a mother - or a stay-at-home parent - is important.

Couples who can afford to have one parent stay at home or only work part-time - usually the mother - are more likely to involve their children in formal after-school exercise.

If they are at home after school hours, even those parents who cannot afford tennis or ballet can ensure their children play in the back yard instead of watching TV.

Having a parent who is a full-time home maker, or one who only works part-time, usually means healthier, home-cooked meals for the kids, rather than a reliance on takeaway food.

In families where both parents work full-time, they often have less energy after a long day to prepare nutritious meals or sit down together to enjoy the food.

As obesity rates in children continue to rise, governments should help mothers to have the time and energy to maintain healthy lifestyles for their children.

And it has to start on day one of their babies' lives.

The Federal Government has increased the childcare rebate for mothers who leave their infants in day care, but what is it doing for mothers who choose to give their babies the optimum care?

 - Babette Francis is national and overseas co-ordinator of Endeavour Forum, which is part of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations