Mom's Diet Affects Baby's Genes
Eat Well For a Healthy Baby
US Scientists recently published a study that showed how a pregnant mother’s diet can change her baby’s genetics for better or worse. Groups of pregnant primates were fed healthy diets or unhealthy diets. Regardless of whether the mother was obese or not, an unhealthy diet caused the baby to be obese, while a healthy diet caused the baby to be normal weight.
"We are finding that the cycle of obesity likely begins in the womb, however, we are also finding that obesity does not necessarily beget obesity," said Kjersti M. Aagaard, M.D., Ph.D.
Researchers discovered that the difference in diets genetically altered how the baby’s body dealt with dietary fat and sugar. An obese mother could avoid passing obesity onto her children by eating a healthy diet during pregnancy.
Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal noted, "Even if a woman isn't eating well before pregnancy, adopting good eating habits during pregnancy is still very good for the child and for her. This new report shows how diet affects offspring at the molecular level.”
"We are finding that the cycle of obesity likely begins in the womb, however, we are also finding that obesity does not necessarily beget obesity," said Kjersti M. Aagaard, M.D., Ph.D.
Researchers discovered that the difference in diets genetically altered how the baby’s body dealt with dietary fat and sugar. An obese mother could avoid passing obesity onto her children by eating a healthy diet during pregnancy.
Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal noted, "Even if a woman isn't eating well before pregnancy, adopting good eating habits during pregnancy is still very good for the child and for her. This new report shows how diet affects offspring at the molecular level.”
