Pregnancy And Child Obesity: Normal Weight Babies Also At Risk Of Obesity; Condition Starts From Womb

Who says only overweight babies are at risk of becoming obese later on? A U.S. study suggests that even babies born with normal weight can become obese if their mothers gained excessive weight during pregnancy. This goes to show that babies with overweight pregnant moms are "predisposed" to becoming obese.

Normal Weight Babies Can Become Obese

While previous research may have stated that babies born overweight are more likely to become obese, this latest U.S. study clearly debunks that idea. It now makes it more necessary for mommies to control their food intake during pregnancy, lest they expose their babies to the risk of suffering from obesity when they get older.

Huffington Post reported that the study monitored more than 13,000 babies for about a decade. These babies were born with normal weight.

The study found that when these babies were already between 2-10 years old, 29 percent of them were obese. The number of overweight ones is much higher at 49 percent.

According to the study, if the mother had diabetes during pregnancy, children are at 29 percent more likely to become obese when they reach the age 10. This data gets worse for those whose mothers gained more than 40 pounds during pregnancy, as this further increases their risk of becoming obese by 16 percent, reported Shanghai Daily.

Obesity Imprinting To Blame

The lead researcher of the study, Dr. Teresa Hillier said that babies, whether born with a normal weight or not, suffer from obesity imprinting. This is a condition that makes babies adapt to an overfed environment. Such is brought about by mothers who overeat during pregnancy which results in becoming either overweight or suffer from gestational diabetes.

Hillier also stated that obesity imprinting alters the baby's long-term metabolism. This then makes these children eat more than they should, such that they tend to suffer from becoming overweight and eventually from obesity.

No More Eating For Two

One common excuse of pregnant women to eat more than they should is that they are eating for two. For those who are pregnant, this is clearly a myth. Even when pregnant, mothers must not overeat, lest they expose their babies to the risk of becoming obese.

For moms who gained excessive weight, they can still take steps to lower their babies' risk of obesity by breastfeeding. Giving children healthy foods as they grow older is another way to lower their risk of becoming obese.