An expecting mom’s diet can have huge impacts on the health of her baby. Dr. Nick Broskey with the LSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center says a mom’s lifestyle can impact their baby’s metabolism and lifelong risk for obesity and other chronic diseases.
“Early on in pregnancy, more so than the later stages, what’s happening in the mom’s life can really influence the health of the child early on in life,” Broskey said.
Broskey says a recent study found that soda consumption during pregnancy increased the risk of childhood obesity for her baby. He says that’s why it’s important for moms-to-be to stay healthy.
“Not only nutrition but exercise in the early stages of pregnancy, the earlier the better, can really create an environment in the baby that will help them have better health outcomes,” Broskey said.
Between 5 and 14 percent of expecting mothers are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Broskey says their IMAGINE study will assess whether these moms give birth to babies with a higher risk for diabetes and obesity. He says they’re recruiting women with gestational diabetes for the study.
“The path of physiology of it is pretty much the same as type II diabetes. It’s really a lifestyle disease, and it as modifiable risk factors that can be attenuated through exercise or diet,” Broskey said.