Moderately obese women impact birth weights and diabetes risk of their Grandchildren.
A new study by The University of Edinburgh carried out in mice, has suggested that health issues such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes could skip a whole generation and land with the next. This means that obese mothers will produce children who are not affected by their poor diet in terms of these diseases, but the genetic marker will appear in the next generation. (Now's the time to look at your Grandparents and perhaps try and make amends!) This transferred effect is known as developmental programming.
Current health projects are aimed at the immediate family, but this new research suggests that all generations are set to continue the trend unless the current generation addresses these issues now. In terms of a poor health epidemic, these results could play an important part in the health of generations of the future and not just today.
The reason why the first generation is protected are unclear but researchers suggest it may be down to specific foods eaten during pregnancy. We already know that getting the right Nutrition in pregnancy is essential for the blueprint of health in later life.
Current rates of obesity are the highest ever and associated health problems include breast cancer, colon cancer and stroke.
So for the sake of your Grandchildren, (as well as your baby's development) start getting a healthier diet!
Nurture Antenatal x
(Moderate obesity is defined as a Body Mass Index between 30 and 34.9. This definition, in my eyes, is a load of codswallop, but I will save that for another day)
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