A new study finds that gaining weight is not all because of genes. Mothers that are smoking during pregnancy is a big factor that may lead to childhood overweight or obesity. Also, children skipping breakfast and not having a regular bedtime or getting enough sleep are all important factors, too. The large majority of children, 83.3 percent had a stable non-overweight BMI, while 13.1 percent had moderate increasing BMIs while 2.5 per cent had steeply increasing BMIs.
Expectant Mothers Who Smoke Can Expect Obesity In Their Children?
Pregnant women who smoke could be putting their children at greater risk of being fat as teenagers. According to Parent Herald, researchers fear that smoking leads to subtle structural variations in the growing brain of the unborn baby that create a preference for eating fatty foods. Smoking, however, has been more stressed to be the major factor that risks an upcoming baby to be overweight. The logic behind this is that when the fetus experiences any sort of tobacco exposure, it affects the motor coordination of the baby, which could be a possible consequence of BMI growth.
Do not be tricked to assume that an overweight baby is healthy because that is not always right. If there are specific factors such as smoking in pregnancy involved, an obese child can also have poor mental health during their growing years. As reported by the Hindustan Times, poor social and psychological well-being of an obese child can manifest in low self-esteem, unhappiness and involvement in risky behaviors like consuming alcohol or getting high on drugs.
Overweight Or Obesity In Children May Look Healthy But It Is Not; Can Pose Dangerous Health Predicaments In The Future
“It is well-known that children of overweight or obese mothers are more likely to be overweight themselves, probably reflecting the ‘obesogenic’ environment, and perhaps a genetic predisposition to gain weight,” said Yvonne Kelly, Professor at the University College London (UCL Epidemiology and Public Health). "This study shows that disrupted routines, exemplified by irregular sleeping patterns and skipping breakfast, could influence weight gain through increased appetite and the consumption of energy-dense foods."
Do not let newborns suffer the risk of pregnancy smoking. We all know that smoking can affect not just the baby, but more so, the pregnant woman. Smoking can affect the DNA of the mother permanently. Researchers hope that by understanding the risks of smoking, people will develop new methods to prevent or ultimately stop this unhealthy behavior.
