Maternal overweight and obesity in children

Posted on March 2, 2009
Filed Under child |

In recent years, studies have revealed a possible relationship between prenatal exposure and the first years of life with the subsequent development of various chronic diseases. It is widely recognized that being overweight in childhood is a multifactor disorder that affects the pathways or genetic mechanisms, biological, and social environment that surrounds us. The features and factors of prenatal nutrition in early life, including maternal weight before and during pregnancy, smoking during pregnancy, infant feeding and weight at birth are associated with overweight during childhood.

In Brief
Smoking during pregnancy and obesity by itself exert an influence on the weight of the child

The authors of this study, the dynamics of overweight in early childhood, rose as targets to study the dynamic processes that lead to the development of childhood overweight by examining the effects of the prenatal and nutrition in early life (breastfeeding versus artificial feeding) on weight status at age 7 years. 3,000 children were studied.

The results showed that the early development of overweight in childhood was associated with race, ethnicity, and maternal obesity before pregnancy and smoking by the mother during pregnancy and beyond birth. In subsequent years, the factor that most contributed to overweight was having been overweight in the previous observation period.

The researchers conclude that their research suggests that prenatal characteristics, particularly race, ethnicity, smoking during pregnancy and maternal obesity before pregnancy have a considerable influence on the weight of the child through a tendency toward being overweight is perpetuated as the child gets bigger.

To conclude, suggest that prevention of overweight should begin before pregnancy and early childhood.

Moms: the war on overweight and snuff!

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