Obesity-related health problems ‘can affect patients’ grandchildren’

Health problems linked to obesity could be inherited by the grandchildren of overweight people, according to research from the University of Edinburgh.

The study involved moderately obese female mice fed on a diet high in fat and sugar before and during pregnancy and showed that obesity-related health issues can often skip an entire generation.

Mice were found to pass on risks such as breast and colon cancer and stroke to the second generation of offspring, with virtually no ill effects being seen in the first generation.

It is currently unknown why direct offspring were protected in this way, with possible reasons including differences in maternal weight gain or specific food eaten during pregnancy.

Dr Amanda Drake, senior clinical research fellow at the University of Edinburgh, said: "Given the worldwide increase in obesity, it is vital that we gain an understanding of how future generations may be affected."

An NHS survey published in 2012 found that 26 percent of all adults in England are obese, with the problem also seen to be on the increase among children.