Mind you, almost 25 percent of preschool children in the UK are considered overweight or obese. And interestingly enough, the International Journal of Obesity showed no marked increase among kids with babysitters or kids who go to daycare.

Using information from the Millennium Cohort Study, which examined the health of kids between 9 months and 3 years of age born in the UK between 2000 and 2001, researchers noticed that "those looked after by grandparents part-time had a 15 percent higher risk of being overweight for their age compared with those solely looked after by their parents. Those who were cared for by their grandparents full-time had a 34 percent increased risk of being overweight."

This University College of London team also considered the children's socioeconomic backgrounds. Turns out the obesity risk was "only apparent in children from the most advantaged group" (whose mothers had managerial or professional jobs, degrees, or lived with their partners). The risk of obesity was also found in conjunction with "other informal care provided by relatives or friends, but only if that was full-time."

What's the fix? The research team recommended furnishing Grandma and Grandpa with tons of information about diet and exercise.

"Some of the things that might help would be educating the population in general about healthy lifestyles, but also things like avoiding food as a reward and suggestions for building activities into daily life," said one of the study leaders.

After 2011, grandparents in the UK will begin to receive National Insurance credits as an added incentive to look after grandchildren under age 13 for at least 20 hours a week.

Whoa! That's impressive! Why don't we Americans take a tip from our Brit buddies? I bet that kind of incentive would inspire more grandparents to actually hang out and enjoy their grandkids in lieu of fleeing the scene in their RVs.

What do you guys think?