Grandkids Tough on Grandma

Grandmothers who baby-sit have more heart attacks.

By Colin Allen, published on November 01, 2003

Letting granny look after the little ones may not be the best idea. Grandmothers who help out with childcare are at greater risk of heart troubles, according to a study published in the November issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

quot;There is a lot of stress from caregiving, and that can cause a lot of wear and tear on the cardiovascular system," surmises study author Sunmin Lee, a research fellow in medicine at Harvard Medical School. Grandmothers who provide care to their grandchildren may neglect their own health.

Lee and colleagues assessed 54,412 women enrolled in the Nurses Health Study, a long-term investigation into the health of female nurses. During a period of four years, 321 nurses suffered heart attacks. The grandmothers who cared for their grandkids more than nine hours a week were at greater risk of heart trouble, even after taking into account other risk factors such as smoking and weight.

quot;We suggest that caregivers look after their own health while they are caring for others," says Lee. Grandparents concerned about cardiovascular health should stop smoking, eat a healthy diet and exercise, she says.

In discovering the link between childcare responsibilities and health, Lee warns that her study does not adequately explain what causes the connection. In a future study, she plans to investigate the link by measuring the stress hormone cortisol to see if stress plays an important role.