"healthy eating during pregnancy" news and stories

In recent years, genetic predisposition has been used to partially explain the world-wide obesity epidemic. However, scientists in New Zealand and England think they have discovered a link between a mother's diet during her pregnancy and the chance of that child becoming an obese adult. However, even if a mother eats poorly during her pregnancy (my own mom just admitted to eating ramen noodles while she was carrying me) all is not lost, because those same scientists have found that good nutrition during a child's early years can reset their bodies and prevent a predisposition towards obesity.

It seems to all go back to the ability our bodies have to adjust to times of scarcity. If a woman doesn't get sufficient nutrition during her pregnancy, she is programming her child's body to store fuel effectively. This is terrific in times of famine, but not so good in these days of cheap and easy empty calories. It's an interesting new facet in the nature verses nurture debate.