Digging Deeper….
As we gather weapons and allies to do battle on behalf of our children (and possibly ourselves?), we also need to know as much as possible about the enemy. Childhood Obesity.
This is the beginning of our intelligence gathering. We will identifying 10 areas you may not be aware of that can either help or hinder your cause. Starting before birth!
1. We all know that cigarettes increase the risk of low birth weight, and alcohol can damage an unborn baby’s brain. So is it logical to assume that unhealthy foods also could have negative effects on a baby? A growing number of studies suggest that sugary and fatty foods, consumed even before birth, can have an affect on how babies develop after birth.
Studies on mice, conducted by Pennington Biomedical Research Center, reported that overweight female mice had higher levels of glucose and free fatty acids floating around in the womb than normal-weight ones did. Researchers believe these molecules trigger the release of proteins that can upset the appetite-control and metabolic systems in the developing brain.
Does this mean that what happens in mice also happens in humans? Could this possibly contribute to Childhood Obesity? Well, according to a University of New York Medical Center study, probably so.
The studies compared the growth patterns of children born to women before and after gastric bypass surgery. Since siblings have very similar genetic profiles, any changes could likely be attributed to changes in the environment in the womb. The results showed that children born after the bypass surgery were half as likely to be obese as those siblings born before the surgery. Although not conclusive, indications are that the reduce calorie intake by the mothers did impact their children’s chances of being overweight.
While it appears that mothers-to-be can give their children a head start by eating correctly during pregnancy, what can you do after birth? We will examine those areas in upcoming editions.
Leave you comments on any areas of concern or insight relating to Childhood Obesity….
Next time : Is Obesity linked to a virus?
Tags: causes of obesity, childhood obesity, overweight children
