All expecting mothers have certain food cravings, and these cravings are, unfortunately, often for not-so-healthy snacks. While the occasional indulgence may be key to sanity, new studies regarding childhood obesity suggest the importance of avoiding processed foods and chemical additives during pregnancy, as well as the importance of eating whole, healthy foods.
Research shows that the early growth and development patterns of normal-weight children are different from those of overweight and obese children, and these differences can be seen in infants as young as two months old, before any solid food is consumed. Based on this study and prior research findings, the scientists speculate that what a mother ate during the prenatal period contributes to this pattern.
This study was performed by researchers from Case Western University and the University of Tennessee, and was published in Clinical Pediatrics. The records of 221 children were chosen for examination from a pool of 4,000 records of healthy children. The children analyzed had no other medical conditions or emergency room visits.
Analysis of the children’s body-mass index (BMI) records found that babies of normal weight in the 17th BMI percentile tended to stay in this percentile from the time they were two months until about age five. The overweight and obese babies crossed the 17th BMI percentile at about 14 months, and continued to climb on the BMI index.
One of the study’s authors, Harold Haller, also used an innovative approach to track the growth of infants. Dismissing the BMI index as misleading, and based primarily on breastfed babies in Europe, Haller created a graph of baby weights divided by their heights.
When the data was organized this way, he discovered that in both boys and girls who were obese by age five, notably higher weight-over-height ratios were seen as early as two months of age.
According to study leader Susan Ludington, “because such patterns emerge before children generally start eating solid food, early life growth patterns may provide important information about a person’s future health issues.”
Ludington also mentions the need for a broader study to see if these growth patterns are consistent on a larger scale. She also says that when and how a baby is fed, sleep patterns, and whether breastmilk or formula is given need to be analyzed further.
The prenatal diet, however, is a significant factor. While it may not be the only thing influencing a baby’s future chance of obesity, what an expectant mother eats affects her baby’s development, including hormonal development and whether the baby’s hunger is satisfied. If many empty, processed calories are consumed, hormonal disruption may occur, and the baby may not receive the nutrients that he or she needs to properly grow.
High levels of trans fats and artificial additives may also pave the way for future issues. A developing baby eats what the mother eats, and shares in the consequences of her decisions.
While the occasional donut will likely not do a whole lot of damage, if you are pregnant or nursing, remember to keep these types of indulgences to a bare minimum. Every artificial chemical and acrylamide you consume courses through your baby’s bloodstream. Instead, try to satisfy your cravings with whole, organic healthy foods in unique combinations.
Finding a way to eat well and still satisfy your cravings is a great way to boost your baby’s chance of leading a healthy life, right from the beginning.
-The Alternative Daily
Source:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/06/130611111708.htm
