New study finds exercising during pregnancy could protect child from obesity
| Apr 10, 2019, 11:02 IST
A new study has found pregnant women who make it a habit to exercise regularly can protect their child from obesity.
Researchers found that pregnant mice who exercised had offspring who had a lower risk of gaining weight even if they consumed a diet that was high in fat. The team also found it was less likely for the offspring to gain weight no matter what the mother's weight was.
For the study, the team monitored the patterns of mice that performed an intense workout for an hour every morning while pregnant. They also had a controlled group of offspring born to mice that performed no physical activity to compare the results. Researchers discovered that mice who exercised regularly had much higher levels of proteins linked to brown adipose tissue, which is a type of tissue that is crucial to converting fat and sugar into heat. The offspring of mice who exercised were also found to have high body temperatures, which shows that the brown adipose tissue in them was in better order.
While previous research has found that physical activity during pregnancy in obese females does benefit the child, this is the first study to show that the result is the same even for women that are not overweight.
The study's findings also suggest that pregnant women who do not workout regularly could potentially put their children at an increased risk of not only obesity but other health issues. "Our data suggest that the lack of exercise in healthy women during pregnancy can predispose their children to obesity and associated metabolic diseases partially through impairing thermogenic function," Son told a news portal.
While exercise is important, another study also found that pregnant women who consume a healthy diet can reduce their child's chances of developing symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
"This study adds more evidence to the growing body of research on the importance of maternal diet during pregnancy," co-author of the study Jordi Júlvez, told a news portal. Adding, "The nutrient supply during the earliest stages of life is essential in that it programs the structure and function of the organs, and this programming, in turn, has an impact on health at every stage of life."
Júlvez further noted: "As the brain takes a long time to develop, it is particularly vulnerable to misprogramming. Alterations of this sort could, therefore, lead to neuro-developmental disorders."
This study's findings were originally published in the Journal of Pediatrics.
Researchers found that pregnant mice who exercised had offspring who had a lower risk of gaining weight even if they consumed a diet that was high in fat. The team also found it was less likely for the offspring to gain weight no matter what the mother's weight was.
For the study, the team monitored the patterns of mice that performed an intense workout for an hour every morning while pregnant. They also had a controlled group of offspring born to mice that performed no physical activity to compare the results. Researchers discovered that mice who exercised regularly had much higher levels of proteins linked to brown adipose tissue, which is a type of tissue that is crucial to converting fat and sugar into heat. The offspring of mice who exercised were also found to have high body temperatures, which shows that the brown adipose tissue in them was in better order.
While previous research has found that physical activity during pregnancy in obese females does benefit the child, this is the first study to show that the result is the same even for women that are not overweight.
The study's findings also suggest that pregnant women who do not workout regularly could potentially put their children at an increased risk of not only obesity but other health issues. "Our data suggest that the lack of exercise in healthy women during pregnancy can predispose their children to obesity and associated metabolic diseases partially through impairing thermogenic function," Son told a news portal.
While exercise is important, another study also found that pregnant women who consume a healthy diet can reduce their child's chances of developing symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
"This study adds more evidence to the growing body of research on the importance of maternal diet during pregnancy," co-author of the study Jordi Júlvez, told a news portal. Adding, "The nutrient supply during the earliest stages of life is essential in that it programs the structure and function of the organs, and this programming, in turn, has an impact on health at every stage of life."
Júlvez further noted: "As the brain takes a long time to develop, it is particularly vulnerable to misprogramming. Alterations of this sort could, therefore, lead to neuro-developmental disorders."
This study's findings were originally published in the Journal of Pediatrics.