Junk food pregnancy diets ‘pose long-term risks’

Women who eat an unhealthy, ‘junk food’ diet while pregnant could raise the risk of their child developing irreversible health problems, according to new research.

Researchers at the Royal Veterinary College found that problems that could be experienced in adulthood due to maternal diet include obesity, raised levels of cholesterol and blood sugar.

In the published in the Journal of Physiology, the researchers argue that a mother’s diet has an effect lasting beyond adolescence in rats, even when the offspring were weaned off the junk food, affecting how their bodies metabolise the food and suggesting a long-term health impact.

The offspring of the mothers fed junk food diets had raised levels of cholesterol as well as higher levels of triglycerides, a type of fat found in the bloodstream. Both are known to increase the risk of developing heart disease.

Similarly, the offspring had higher levels of glucose and insulin, both of which increase the likelihood of developing type two diabetes.

The study analysed the rats beyond adolescence through to adulthood and observed that the rats were still fatter than those whose mothers had eaten a healthier diet while pregnant and breastfeeding.

“Humans share a number of fundamental biological systems with rats, so there is good reason to assume the effects we see in rats may be repeated in humans,” said Professor Neil Stickland.

Dr Stephanie Bayol added: “It seems that a mother’s diet while pregnant and breastfeeding is very important for the long term health of her child.”