We know that having a healthy weight before, during and after pregnancy is best for both mom and baby, but now we are going to give you one more reason to take care of your body, since suffering from obesity can influence the development of your Children during their first years.
According to a recent study published in The Journal of Pediatrics, Children of mothers and fathers with obesity may have developmental delays in the first months
The research, conducted by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, yielded important results in terms of the relationship of the weight of the parents with the motor development of the babies. It was found that the children of mothers with obesity were more likely to fail the tests of fine motor skills, which controls the movements of small muscles such as hands and fingers.
It was also found that the children of obese parents were more likely to fail social skills tests, and that those children born to couples with extreme obesity were also more likely to fail in problem-solving skills exams.
In this study, researchers gathered information on 5,000 women in New York State from the age of 4 months of their babies between 2008 and 2010. To measure the results in the development of their babies, parents filled out the age questionnaires and stages After performing a series of activities with your children.
These questionnaires, which are routine in periodic reviews during the first years of children, serve as a way to detect possible developmental problems so that each child is channeled with the corresponding specialist.
Children were tested for the first time when they were 4 months old and were performed 6 more times at 8, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months, that is, until they were 3 years old. Mothers were also asked to provide information about their health and weight before and after pregnancy, as well as the weight of their partners.
This particular study is different from previous research because It is the first time that the father's weight is also taken into account, since in previous studies only the information of the mother and the baby was taken into account, and now thanks to the fact that it was included the scientists realized that the weight of the father also influences the development of the child.
The results of the study
Dr. Edwina Yeung, lead author of this research, comments that in the United States 1 in 5 pregnant women are overweight or obese.
The final results of the study were the following:
- Compared to the children of mothers with a normal weight, babies of mothers with obesity were 70% more likely to fail the fine motor skill questionnaire Upon reaching 3 years.
- The children of parents with obesity were 75% more likely to fail the personal and social domain skills test, which is an indicator of how much capacity they have to interact and interact with other children when they reach 3 years of age.
- Children with two obese parents recorded almost three times more likely to fail the troubleshooting tests Upon reaching 3 years.
Although the results are obvious, It is not known why parental obesity can increase a child's developmental delay, since the study was not designed to find a cause and effect, but a relationship between one thing and another. The researchers point out that in animal studies, obesity during pregnancy can cause inflammation, which could affect the fetal brain. Another possible theory is that the lack of some nutrients influences brain development.
It is important to maintain a healthy weight before and during pregnancy
A mistaken and unfortunately very popular belief is that when a woman is pregnant she can or should eat for two, because now she also feeds her baby. But the reality is that it is dangerous to carry that kind of exaggerated food, because although it is true that now our body uses more energy than usual because it is forming a new being, taking care of what we eat is very important during pregnancy.
It's not about eating more or eating less, but about eat better, have a more conscious and healthy diet. By nurturing our pregnant body with a diet rich and varied in food we try give the best to the baby and prevent the onset of diseases like gestational diabetes or preeclampsia.
Maintaining an adequate weight before pregnancy is also important, as it is better to prevent overweight than to have difficulties during pregnancy because of it. But if you are already pregnant and you are overweight do not get overwhelmed, remember that during pregnancy it is not advisable to try to lose weight, It is best to go with your gynecologist or nutritionist and to guide you on the care you should have to maintain a healthy pregnancy if you are overweight.
