A mother can increase risk of her baby being obese

It is thought that a developing baby tries to predict the environment that it will be born into, taking cues from its mother and adjusting its DNA.

The study, published in the journal Diabetes, showed that if a mother indulges in lots of carbohydrates during her pregnancy, bits of her child’s DNA changed, and these children then grew up to be fatter.

There is still a lot of work to be done on how the environment affects genes but the British Heart Foundation have already commented that these results show the need for better nutritional and lifestyle support for women.

Professor Keith Godfrey, from the University of Southampton, who led the study, said, ‘All women who become pregnant get advice about diet, but it is not always high up on the agenda of health professionals.’

By Lauren King