Pregnancy Diet Affects Child’s Weight

The popular belief that the expectant mother should eat for two. This was stated by the scientists from Boston Children’s Hospital. It turns out that overeating can have negative consequences for the offspring.

According to the researchers, the women, who gain too much extra weight during pregnancy, increase their child’s risk of obesity in the future. Their conclusion is based on the analysis of more than 41 million women, who gave birth to two or more children. During the experiment, the professionals took into account the BMI (body mass index) the participants had at birth, and the BMI of their children under the age of 12 years.

As a result, it was found that weight gain during pregnancy increased the risk of obesity in the children at school age by 8%.

Previously, the scientists from Edinburgh University found that overweight pregnant women increase the risk of their child’s premature death (before age 55) from heart disease by 35%. In turn, the research of the scientists from the University of Florida proved that poor diet during pregnancy could lead to alcohol or drug addiction in the child.