A Poor Pregnancy Diet Could Lead to an Obese Child

What you eat during pregnancy may predict whether your baby one day becomes obese. Here's what you should know about eating a nutritious diet when you're pregnant.

The 40 weeks of pregnancy shape so much of who we are, and what we will one day become. What mom eats, baby eats, which is why obstetricians so often stress to their pregnant patients the need for a nutritious diet.

Research is highlighting the benefits of healthy eating in pregnancy, and the risks of not doing so. A study in The BMJ finds that women who eat a lot of ultra-processed foods — those containing added sugar, salt, fat, and artificial flavors and colors — during pregnancy are more likely to have an overweight or obese child.

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The epidemic of childhood obesity

Excess weight in childhood is a serious, and growing, problem. In 1971, about 10 percent of children were overweight. By 2018, that number had risen to 16 percent of children. The percentage of obese children jumped from 5 percent to 19 percent during the same time period.

Childhood obesity — which experts define as being in the 95th or higher percentile on a growth chart for a child's age — is concerning for many reasons. Carrying around too much weight early in life puts children at increased risk for heart disease, asthma, depression, and type 2 diabetes later in life.

The link between mom's diet and obesity

A few studies have examined the influence of a mother's diet on her child's weight. One of those studies found that mothers who ate a lower-quality diet (high in red and processed meats, sugar-sweetened drinks, sweets, and salt) were more likely to have children who were overweight or obese.

For the study in The BMJ, an international group of researchers used data from the Nurses' Health Study II and the Growing Up Today (GUTS) study to investigate the link between highly processed foods and childhood weight. These two large research efforts followed the health outcomes of women and children over a period of several years.

Nearly 20,000 mother-child pairs were included. Just over 12 percent of the children became overweight or obese during the study period. Kids whose mothers ate the highest amount of highly processed foods like bacon, soda, and ice cream during their pregnancy had a 26 percent greater risk of becoming overweight or obese than those whose mothers ate the least amount of these foods.

One caveat to the study was that participants were asked to recall their diet and weight, which isn't always reliable. But the study authors did account for other things that could have contributed to the children's weight gain, like diet, exercise habits, and how much time they spent in sedentary activities like watching TV or using the computer.

What you can do

Pregnancy is one of the most important times in your life for healthy eating. Your growing baby needs a variety of nutrients, including folic acid, iron, calcium, and protein, to develop properly and gain the right amount of weight. Even if you were lax about your diet in the past, pregnancy is the time to make changes for the better.

Although your main source of vitamins and nutrition should come from your diet, a prenatal vitamin can complement your needs during pregnancy.

The ideal pregnancy diet includes a mix of nutrient-dense foods like:

• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and buckwheat
• Low-fat dairy such as yogurt and milk
• Healthy protein like chicken breast, lean red meat, and tofu

Try to avoid highly processed foods that are filled with fat, sugar, salt, and empty calories, such as:

• Hot dogs and sausages
• Candy
• Snacks like potato chips and pretzels
• Fast foods such as French fries, burgers, and fried chicken
• Frozen pizzas
• Ice cream and other frozen desserts
• Cookies, donuts, muffins, and other baked goods
• Sodas

If you're having trouble changing your diet on your own, ask your obstetrician to recommend a prenatal dietitian. The dietitian can help you plan meals and snacks around nutritionally balanced foods. You can also learn about substitutions like swapping sparkling water with fruit juice for your usual sodas or eating your sandwich on whole grain bread instead of white.

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