Pregnant women eating fatty foods risk obesity in children

PREGNANT women who snack on fatty foods at the end of pregnancy run the risk of giving birth to children who will suffer from childhood obesity.

Research completed by UCD and the National Maternity Hospital revealed that eating high GI (Glycaemic Index) foods in the third trimester has a marked impact on the child’s birth weight.

Sheep were used as models in the research as international studies have shown that a sheep’s experience with pregnancy mirrors in many ways that of women, including metabolic function and nutrient transport.