Expectant mothers’ nutritional intake is linked to childhood obesity years down the line, according to a new international study.
Headed by the University of Southampton, the international study included scientists from Britain, New Zealand and Singapore to help understand the increasing level of obesity in children aged 6 to 9.
In studying the umbilical cords of 300 children and what their mothers ate and drank during pregnancy, researchers found that maternal diet, especially during the first three months of pregnancy, influences the DNA of her child, through a process called change epigenetics.
Scientists studied the umbilical cord of 300 babies to measure the rate of epigenetic change, and then looked to see if there was any correlation to the weight of children six to nine years later.
The correlation was so strong that researchers repeated the tests to ensure they were correct. They found that the level of epigenetic change could be linked to a low-carbohydrate diet during the first three months of pregnancy, but it was premature to draw definitive conclusions.
One theory for the correlation is that the embryo receives little carbohydrates – which provides energy – and assumes it will be born into a similar environment and adjusts its metabolism to store more fat.
Another important finding in the study was that neither the mother’s weight nor the baby’s birth weight made any difference – a child whose DNA was changed by the mother’s diet would see the effects manifest years later.