Women Who Gets Pregnant During a Diet Tend to Have Obese Child
Previously it was known that caffeine consumption by pregnant women does not disturb the baby, but a recent study revealed that women who becomes pregnant while they are on a diet are more likely to have children who are overweight (obese) or develop diabetes later in life.
The researchers found in a study conducted in sheeps by giving less food during pregnancy which caused DNA changes in the brain when they were young.
Despite many factors that triggers diabetes, scientists from the University of Manchester expect these findings will also have the same results in humans and may explain why twins are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes as adults. The scientists then examined the brain tissue of unborn sheep to see if it changes the structure of DNA.
“We found that unborn sheep twins undergo structural changes of DNA in the brain that regulate food intake and glucose impact on increasing the chances of diabetes as adults,” said Chairman of the researcher, Anne White, as quoted by the Daily Mail. The research was published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.
“Our findings reveal a reason why twins are more likely to develop diabetes. But we also see mothers who do not eat enough when they are pregnant are likely to have children grow up with the trend of increased risk of obesity, “said White.
Although genetic factors affect body weight as adults, the researchers believe that their findings are relevant to humans because they show non-genetic or epigenetic ways, which is that DNA of children can change. “These findings reveal a new knowledge why twins may develop diabetes, and also suggests that diet during pregnancy may increase child’s chances of becoming obese later in life,” said White.
Tagged with: diet during pregnancy, obese children, Pregnancy, twin diabetes,
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