Washington, September 09: Shedding excess pounds before pregnancy can break the cycle of hereditary weight problems, leading to the birth of healthier children.
Previous studies had reported that besides the health risks associated with obesity for both moms and babies, obese mothers are more likely to give birth to obese children.
According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, losing significant weight through obesity surgery before conceiving lowers the risk of obesity in the child.
The children born to surgically slimmed mothers had reduced birth weight and waist circumference and were three times less likely to become obese compared with their siblings born before the mom had surgery.
They were also reported to have improved cardiovascular markers — reduced insulin resistance and lower cholesterol levels — and therefore placed at a lower risk of developing heart disease and diabetes in the long run.
Scientists believe the metabolic and hormonal changes in the womb of these women may be responsible for the reduced obesity risk in the newborn, indicating that other factors rather than genetic and home environment also contribute to childhood obesity.
They concluded that obese women should reduce their weight by any means in order to have healthier babies.
—–Agencies