Eating Junk Food During Pregnancy may Transfer That Habit to Offspring

Women who constantly eat junk food during pregnancy may be transferring the habit on to their children according to a new study conducted by researchers at University of South Australia.

The researchers tested the effects of eating junk food during pregnancy in rats and found that their offspring acquired a taste for the sweet and salty treats and continued to seek out junk food even after they had been put on a healthy diet.

"If a mother has everything in moderation -- not too much junk food -- and maintains a healthy diet, that will dictate what her offspring prefers later on. If you give them junk food when they're older, they tend to just go for it and then become fatter easier than those offspring from the healthy mother", lead researcher Zhi Yi Ong said.


Source: Medindia