Study: Call for Obesity Prevention for ‘Tomorrow’s Mothers’

17 Feb 2015 --- A Europe-wide study on obesity is urging for action to prevent excessive weight gain in women of child-bearing age. The researchers of the three-year project say children born to overweight mothers are at greater risk of health problems in later life.

As part of the project, scientists used various pieces of research from all over Europe; one of these pieces of research indicated that babies born to overweight mothers are more likely to suffer heart disease or strokes or develop type 2 diabetes in later life.

“Attention needs to be devoted to the prevention of obesity and becoming overweight among young girls, representing tomorrow’s mothers,” said project leader Dr Patricia Lozzo, from the National research Council in Pisa, Italy. She also noted that adding unhealthy amounts of weight towards the end of pregnancy is also an area of concern in relation to babies’ metabolic health.

Another piece of research which contributed to the overall project showed that obese women eat a diet richer in saturated fats and poorer in vitamins and minerals during their pregnancy compared to slim women.

And separately scientists have also found that the placenta of females who ate a high fat diet offered less protection to the foetus from the stress hormone, cortisol, which led to a higher likelihood of producing a smaller offspring, who was also more likely to suffer mood disorders in later life. 

Those involved in the project, including a team from Edinburgh University, stated that every pregnant woman should have access to dieticians and psychologists to help protect the health of their future children.