Poor diet in pregnancy has lasting effect

A mother's diet during pregnancy affects her child for life and i f she is diabetic and overweight the more likely the child will be too.

A study of mice by University of Cambridge researchers published recently looked at how foetal development is affected when a pregnant mother is fat or is on a high-sugar diet.

The researchers fed some pregnant mice a high-fat and high-sugar diet and others a normal diet to try to understand why many children of obese mothers become obese and develop health problems.

The results seemed to indicate that the poor diet caused the metabolism to disrupt the flow of nutrients to the foetus in the critical stages of organ development.

• Mum's the word on high-flying babe's statusA Turkish Airlines jet arrived at its destination with an extra passenger after cabin crew helped a woman give birth mid-flight. 

The author of the report, Amanda Sferruzzi-Perri, a doctor at St John's College, Cambridge, said the findings were especially relevant for women in Western countries.

It would also be relevant to South Africa where almost 70% of women are overweight or obese.

Sferruzzi-Perri said: "Changes to the nutrient and oxygen supply, at a stage when individual organs are developing, can cause a permanent change in the structure and function of certain tissues.

"It may explain why babies from obese mothers have a tendency to develop conditions, such as obesity, hypertension and type 2 diabetes as adults."

The new theory of childhood development called "the first 1000 days" suggests the experiences of a foetus until a child's second birthday can chart a path to its long-term health, wealth and emotional wellbeing.

A local study is looking at how a pregnant mother's diet later affected the child's health, especially with regard to pneumonia .