A new study shows that new parents have a harder time than non-parents keeping up with a regular exercise routine and eating a healthy diet. In the survey, more than 1,500 young adults with the average age of 25 responded, and the results were published in Pediatrics. Of the participants, 149 of them had children, which in most cases was an infant.

When it came to exercise, mothers got only 2.5 hours of exercise per week as opposed to the over three hours per week of childless females. Fathers were able to squeeze in 5.5 hours per week, but men without children got 7 hours a week.

A lack of energy with the new parents also leads them to eating more "quick fix" meals that are high in calories, fat and sodium; things like chicken nuggets or macaroni and cheese are really popular.

Even though both sets of women ate the same amount of fruits, vegetables and whole grains, mothers ate around 400 calories more per day, drank more sugary drinks and ate more saturated fat than women without children. They also tended to weigh a bit more, but since most of them had given birth in the past year, it could have been weight left over from the pregnancy.

Lead author of the study Jerica Berge said, "We need to find ways. to support parents during this high-risk time so they can focus on their health as well as all of the demands of parenting".