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Ohio State University researchers who analyzed data from a study following nearly 1,000 children from infancy through the ninth grade, found that children who did not properly bond with their mother before three years-old were more likely to be obese at 15.

According to the results of the study, which were published in Pediatrics journal, the odds of adolescent obesity was 2.45 (1.49–4.04) times higher in those with the poorest quality early maternal–child relationships  compared with those with the highest quality.

Sarah Anderson, lead author of the study, said she hoped the research will be used to support better-quality maternal-child relationships, according to The New York Times.

“The sensitivity a mother displays in interacting with her child may be influenced by factors she can’t necessarily control,” she said, referring to the amount of time a single working mother, or a mother in a household that needs two incomes, spends searching for child care or employment.

According to CBS,  childhood obesity rates in the U.S. are increasing. Currently, about 1 in 3 children in the U.S. are overweight or obese, including pre-schoolers. But some changes in parenting style may help prevent a contribution to the obesity epidemic.

“Good-quality parenting is important for many things, including physical health,” said  Laurie Miller Brotman, PhD., professor of child and adolescent psychiatry and the director of the Harris Obesity Prevention Effort at New York University Langone Medical Center in New York City. “These findings, as well as the failure of the programs that try to teach kids about what to eat and tell them to exercise more, suggest that the fundamentals of parenting can make a difference.”