Lifestyle intervention during pregnancy for obese moms which includes a healthy diet and exercise can lower heart disease risk in infants.
Highlights:
Moms who are obese while pregnant can protect their child’s heart health by following a healthy diet and exercise, suggests a new study.//
A lifestyle intervention of diet and exercise in pregnancy protects against cardiovascular risk in infants, a new study has found.- A healthy routine during pregnancy can lead to a healthy heart in the baby
- Being obese during pregnancy may increase the risk of developing heart disease in infants
- Eating a healthy diet and doing some workouts during pregnancy can lower the risk of heart problems in infants
The study, published recently in the International Journal of Obesity by researchers from King’s College London and funded by the British Heart Foundation, found that 3-year-old children were more likely to exhibit risk factors for future heart disease if their mother was clinically obese during pregnancy. A behavioral lifestyle intervention reduced this risk.
Top 10 Benefits of Exercise During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a period marked with anxieties, worries and unanswered questions. Exercising during pregnancy is not only healthy, it can also be fun and rewarding.
Pregnancy is a period marked with anxieties, worries and unanswered questions. Exercising during pregnancy is not only healthy, it can also be fun and rewarding.
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Consequences of Obesity During Pregnancy
In the UK, more than half the women attending antenatal care are clinically overweight or obese. There is increasing evidence to suggest that obesity in pregnancy is associated with cardiometabolic dysfunction in children, and that serious cardiovascular disease may begin in the womb.Advertisement
Pregnancy and Diet/Diet during Pregnancy – Healthy Foods, Foods to Avoid
Pregnant women should pay special attention to their diet. The diet before and during pregnancy should be rich in calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
Pregnant women should pay special attention to their diet. The diet before and during pregnancy should be rich in calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals.
Importance of Nutrition and Exercise During Pregnancy
The UPBEAT trial, conducted at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, randomized women with obesity (a BMI of over 30 kg/m2) in early pregnancy to a diet and exercise intervention or to standard pregnancy care.The intervention included one-to-one counseling, restricting dietary intake of saturated fat, eating foods with a low glycemic index such as vegetables and legumes, moderate and monitored physical activity and tools to record exercise.
The intervention arm saw improvements in weight gain in pregnancy, physical activity, a healthier diet, and a healthier metabolic profile across pregnancy.
Follow-up of the children at three years of age showed that children of women with clinical obesity had evidence of cardiac remodeling, a risk factor for future cardiovascular disease. Changes included increased heart muscle thickness, elevated resting heart rate, evidence of early impairment to the heart’s relaxation function and increased sympathetic nerve activity (‘fight or flight’ response) compared to women of normal weight.
The children of women who were allocated to the intervention arm were protected from these early changes in heart structure and function.
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Healthy Weight Gain during Pregnancy
Recommended weight gain during pregnancy is determined as per pre-pregnancy weight and BMI. Healthy weight gain is very important for pregnancy health and is achieved with the right diet and exercise.
Recommended weight gain during pregnancy is determined as per pre-pregnancy weight and BMI. Healthy weight gain is very important for pregnancy health and is achieved with the right diet and exercise.
Does Maternal Obesity Trigger Heart Problems in Infants
Study lead Dr Paul Taylor, from King’s College London, said: “Maternal obesity appears to adversely impact the developing fetal nervous system and fetal heart development which is apparent up to 3 years-of-age.A complex lifestyle intervention in pregnancy was associated with protection against cardiac remodeling in infants. We can hypothesize that these changes to the heart and its function will get worse over time, putting the child at increased risk of cardiovascular disease in the future.”
The study suggests that maternal obesity may have a lasting impact on the child’s cardiovascular health. Promoting dietary changes and physical activity during pregnancy may reduce this risk.
Reference:
- Lifestyle intervention in obese pregnancy and cardiac remodelling in 3-year olds: children of the UPBEAT RCT - (http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41366-022-01210-3)
Source-Eurekalert
Top Tips to Lose Weight Fast After Pregnancy
Losing baby weight is as important as any weight loss program and the best way to lose baby weight is to incorporate a healthy diet and exercise program.
Losing baby weight is as important as any weight loss program and the best way to lose baby weight is to incorporate a healthy diet and exercise program.
