- There is a link between childhood obesity and a pregnant mother’s diet, a new study suggests.
- Maternal diets rich in inflammatory foods were associated with an increased risk of childhood weight gain.
- Eating more vegetables, fruits, fish and whole grains can be healthier for the whole family.
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Childhood obesity can start even before a child is born, new research suggests.
It is not just what children eat today that is causing the highest rates of obesity, but also what their parents eat during pregnancy, according to a study published on March 15 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School found that children are more likely to gain weight when mothers follow a diet rich in processed foods and meats and low in products, nuts, fish and whole grains.
Analyzing data from 1,459 mother and child pairs from a Harvard study in eastern Massachusetts, the researchers found that children gain weight more quickly between the ages of three and 10 if their mothers eat a lot of inflammatory foods during pregnancy. Foods were classified on a scale, developed by the University of South Carolina, with saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol considered the most inflammatory. These compounds are found in foods such as red meat, processed foods and dairy products. In contrast, compounds such as fibers, phytochemicals and unsaturated fats were anti-inflammatory – common in foods such as vegetables, fruits, fish and whole grains.
These results suggest that the mother’s diet is important for understanding the health of growing children.
“Research has shown that the foods we eat during pregnancy can influence the growing child’s metabolism, as well as their eating behaviors and eating preferences,” Dr. Carmen Monthé-Drèze, lead author of the study and a neonatologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said in a press release.
The mother’s diet can have a lasting influence
It is not clear in this study why maternal eating habits affect children, although several factors are likely to be involved.
It may be that a diet rich in nutrients during pregnancy has a physiological effect on the developing fetus, helping to start a healthy metabolism. Understanding this in the future can help doctors recommend an ideal pregnancy diet, just as we now advise pregnant mothers to limit alcohol and caffeine.
It is also likely that what parents eat during and after pregnancy is what they will offer their children at home. This means that a healthier diet for parents will also be a good example for children.
Family wealth, education and genetics also influence childhood obesity
Study mothers who followed an anti-inflammatory diet more closely were also more likely to be well-educated, have a higher income, and were less likely to smoke or be obese.
It is clear that financial and social resources affect food health and consistent access to healthy food makes a difference in preventing obesity.
Obesity also has a strong genetic component, so that obese parents themselves are more likely to have children predisposed to gain and maintain a greater weight.
A Mediterranean-style diet can be healthier for parents and their children
The data in this study also showed that children gained weight – and weighed more – during adolescence if their parents were on a diet more distant from the Mediterranean diet. These results suggest that following Mediterranean dietary habits more closely can be beneficial. This includes eating lots of healthy plant foods and fats, like fish and olive oil. These eating habits are consistently supported by research that benefits healthier weight, healthier aging and a lower risk of diseases such as diabetes.
“In particular, women who are pregnant or may become pregnant should consider a
mediterranean diet
, which can not only benefit your own health, but also help your children maintain a healthy weight, “said Monthé-Drèze.
Previous research has also suggested that a healthy Mediterranean diet can have a “halo effect”, with benefits that extend to the whole family.