Obesity In Pregnancy: Experts Say Overweight Mothers Pass On Obesity To Their Children

Still on the occasion of the World Obesity Day, experts warned about obesity in pregnancy. Recent studies say that overweight mothers can pass on obesity to their children. Worse, they can likewise pass on the health risks associated with excess weight.

According to The Guardian, numerous babies are facing health risks due to obese parents. Brain damage, asthma, and heart attack in adulthood are among these adverse risks. A vicious cycle wherein excess weight can affect the health of parents and their children is responsible for overweight mothers passing on obesity to their offsprings.

Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology published four studies, which stressed that the risks of obesity in pregnancy include stillbirth, diabetes in the mother, dangerously high blood pressure in pregnant women, and childbirth complications. It could also lead to children developing cancer later in life and having autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

At present, the rate of obesity in women during childbearing age and related health dangers is indeed high. For this reason, the authors of the studies pointed out the need for urgent action to make sure women don't suffer from obesity in pregnancy. According to Mail Online, a pragmatic solution is needed on a global scale, especially in low-income and middle income countries.

In Europe, British women are at the highest obesity rates. One out of five women in the UK were already obese when they became pregnant. And according to a study, overweight mothers in the United States were either obese or overweight when they conceived.

Furthermore, the international team of experts said the problem regarding obesity in pregnancy may escalate more. There are projections that 21 percent of women in developed countries where the situation is worst would be dangerously obese by 2025.

In hindsight, the studies suggest that the problem on obesity is a serious one. Overweight mothers do not only risk their own health, but also those of their children who may suffer long-term adverse effects.