Parents who give their children food to quieten them down could be setting them up for a lifetime of weight problems, a study has revealed.

The widely used tactic can lead to a bad diet in adulthood, low self-esteem, comfort-eating and eating disorders, while it will also teach children to use food as a “source of solace” which fills an emotional void, research conducted for Slimming World suggested.

According to the YouGov study, those who recalled receiving food as a reward during childhood were more likely to have an obese BMI than those who were not given such handouts – some 34% compared with 25%.

The Press Association: Food treats ‘can lead to obesity’