Dieting during pregnancy may cause obesity in children study reveals

Women who diet during pregnancy are more likely to have a child that could become obese or diabetic in later life, a study suggests. Researchers found in a study on sheep that giving ewes less food at the time of conception caused DNA changes in the brains of their young.
The University of Manchester scientists suspect the findings may hold true for humans as well and could explain why twins are more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes in adulthood.

The study investigated twin pregnancies in sheep as well the pregnancies of ewes that received less food around the time the lamb was conceived. The researchers then looked at tissues from the brains of the unborn lambs to see if there were changes in the structure of the DNA.

Study leader Anne White said: 'We found that unborn twin lambs had changes in the structure of DNA in the region of the brain that regulates food intake and glucose that resulted in an increased chance of diabetes in adulthood.

'Our findings provide a reason why twins are more likely to get diabetes but we have also shown that mothers who don’t have enough food around the time of conception may have a child who grows up with an increased risk of obesity.'

The researchers believe their findings are relevant to humans as they reveal a non-genetic, or ‘epigenetic’, way in which the DNA of offspring can be altered.

Professor White added: 'Our study is important because it shows that factors in the brain can be altered by non-hereditary mechanisms and this results in changes in the body, which could make people obese.

'The findings may provide a new understanding of why twins can develop diabetes and also suggests that dieting around the time a baby is conceived may increase the chance of the child becoming obese later in life.'

More and more people are becoming obese and getting diabetes, while rates of twins are steadily increasing as women have babies at older ages and rates of conception using artificial reproductive technologies increase.

Dieting in young women is also very common and can occur in women who may not know they are pregnant. The team’s findings in sheep, if replicated in humans, suggest that obesity and diabetes could be more likely in twins and in children from mothers who aren’t eating properly, or dieting, around the time of conception.

Researchers say it could affect the advice giving to women who are planning a family to reduce future health risks for their children. The study was published in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

Article: 3rd April 2012 www.dailymail.co.uk

'Majority of pregnant women not getting enough vitamin D' puts unborn children at risk

Pregnant woman are not getting enough vitamin D, according to new research.
While taking prenatal vitamins does raise vitamin D levels in mothers-to-be, the study suggested higher doses are needed for many women.

Study author Professor Adit Ginde, from the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, said: 'We already know vitamin D is important for bone health of the mother and infant, but we are just starting to scratch the surface about the many potential health benefits of vitamin D during pregnancy.'

The study, to be published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, found 70 per cent of pregnant women in the U.S had insufficient levels of Vitamin D.

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Pregnant mums warned 'eating for two is a myth'

Mothers-to-be should be warned that 'eating for two' is a myth, according to draft Health Service guidelines.
They do not need to drink full-fat milk or change their diet at all for the first six months of the pregnancy.

Even in the last three months they need just 200 extra calories a day - the equivalent of a small sandwich.

New advice on weight management during pregnancy comes as the number of obese mothers is rising, with almost one in four women being obese and a further third overweight.

It says women should be advised that being fat puts their baby at risk, but not told to lose weight.

Instead they should be helped to shed excess pounds before getting pregnant and after they have given birth.

The guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is now out for consultation.

Professor Mike Kelly, Director of the Centre for Public Health Excellence at NICE, said: 'Women are bombarded by often conflicting advice on what constitutes a healthy diet and how much physical activity they should do during pregnancy and after birth.

'The aim of developing this new guidance is to provide health professionals with clear recommendations to help them support women prior to and during their pregnancy as well as after they have given birth.

'Many overweight women have healthy babies, but the evidence suggests that there are more risks associated with pregnancies in women who have a BMI of over 30.'

He said the advice takes into account the demands of looking after a small baby and how tired mothers are.

'But it also aims to dispel any myths about what and how much to eat during pregnancy - there is no need to "eat for two" or to drink full-fat milk,' he said.

'It's important for women to understand that weight loss after birth takes time and that physical activity and gradual weight loss will not affect a woman's ability to breastfeed.'

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says the recommended maximum limit for pregnancy weight gain is 10-12 kilograms, around one and three quarter stones.

Rosie Dodds of the National Childbirth Trust said: 'Women are more likely to make changes to their diet when they are pregnant and this opportunity can improve the family eating pattern for the future.

'NCT welcomes this draft guidance which should ensure better consistency of support from health professionals and tailoring of the services offered to the needs of women.

'In some areas, women on low incomes need improved access to affordable nourishing foods, especially fresh fruit and vegetables