The study supports previous research showing that a woman's weight and her propensity for diabetes and heart disease can predispose her developing fetus to the same problems. The study also indicates that obese young women who wish to have children should consider achieving a healthy weight, whether through surgery or behavioral changes, before becoming pregnant.
"Our study confirms previous research showing that the intrauterine environment may be more important than genes and the post-natal environment when it comes to the association between maternal obesity and childhood obesity," said Dr. John Kral, lead author of the study. "Any medical or surgical treatment to reduce obesity and existing metabolic disorders before pregnancy can be an investment in the life of future offspring."
Researchers studied 49 women who had undergone weight-loss surgery, along with their 111 children who ranged in age from 2 to 25 years old. All of the study participants had children both before and after having weight-loss surgery. Researchers found that children who were born after their mother's surgery had reduced birth weight and waist circumference. They were also three times less likely to become severely obese compared to siblings born before their mother's surgery.
"For those women interested in both surgical treatment and having children, we believe surgery should come first," Kral said. "Preventing obesity and treating it effectively in young women could prevent further transmission to future generations."
(Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com)
Labels: kids, surgery, weight loss surgery
Posted By: Aspen Education Group