Fat mums have fatter babies
America's obesity is being passed to next generation.
It might not seem inevitable that overweight mothers will have fatter babies. But this is exactly what's happening in the United States, say researchers who have documented how the 'obesity epidemic' is being passed on to the next generation.
Read the story here.
Comments
This news remember me another Nature news reproted a few days before, that Stressed-out plants warn their offspring.(http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060731/full/060731-16.html)
I think their mechanism may be the same as epigenetic.Some factors,which maybe have effection on gene expression, are passed down to offsprings form their parents through sperm, and eggs mostly.
Posted by: Qi Yafei | August 10, 2006 05:34 AM
This the results of this study appear to be at odds with the results from another study I have previously read. The other study's results showed that overweight mothers tend to have underweight babies and more pre-term babies. This leads to other problems. However, this study done by the Harvard team focuses on weight gained during pregnancy, whereas the other focuses on women who were obese prior to pregnancy.
Posted by: Dan McDonald | August 14, 2006 10:51 PM
It is infact true that fatter mothers do reproduce obese babies. It is important to learn whether the gene expression mechanism alone plays a vital role or it can be controlled by diet when the mother is pregnant.
The important point is that mothers should be encouraged to breast fed their babies even though some feel that it is tiring & start with the formula foods as it is easier. But the question is how healthy are their babies are?? what happens in the long run if they are going to be obese.Yes, definitely leading to chronic diseases. So it is also wise that prevention is better than cure.
"Mothers to be think about it".....it seems a million dollar question for the future little ones..
Posted by: Shanthi Sankaralingam | August 15, 2006 12:58 AM
Science is wonderfully progressive. Seems I recall my Science Newsletter back in grade school flip flopping on various issues every few months. Maybe it was only the cutting edge reporting of the latest burning issue. Regarding fat babies, my passe memory is of reading, "If you have a newborn in a famine situation, your best strategy is to feed the
infant all you can spare, its appetite as it matures will then not be as keen." This could as easily be an anecdotal vagary as a keen observation.
Posted by: Greg Weisbrod | August 15, 2006 06:04 AM