Let’s find out ‘What Are The Bad Habits You Should Avoid During Pregnancy?’ There is no laughing matter when it comes to the obesity pandemic, particularly as it affects youngsters.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, 17% of adolescents and teenagers in the United States are obese, placing them at risk for adult health issues like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke, various forms of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
There are several variables that contribute to this expanding issue, and new study indicates that pregnancy may be particularly important in predicting a child’s chance of being fat.
Here are six mom-to-be behaviors that experts believe may have an impact on how much weight future generations gain.
Bad Habit #6
Watching TV During Mealtimes
According to a recent study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Vancouver, Canada, pregnant women who watch TV while eating are more likely to maintain that practice during their baby’s feedings, which is linked to a juvenile obesity risk for babies later in life. According to Dr. Mary Jo Messito, associate professor of clinical pediatrics at the New York University School of Medicine and research author, viewing TV during meals is discouraged since it is linked to a worse diet and moms may miss the tiny signs that suggest their infant is full.
The study’s results serve as a great reminder that eating while distracted can result in unhealthy habits like overeating and disregarded satiety cues, even though it is only preliminary research. Your body and your unborn child will appreciate you for treating yourself by sitting down to a formal dinner.
Bad Habit #5
Regularly Eating Red Meat
Author Philippa Middleton (not to be confused with Duchess Kate’s hot sister) recently published a commentary in the journal Evidence-Based Nursing that warns of a link between regular red meat consumption and a higher rate of gestational diabetes in pregnant women, which poses risks to the health of both the mother and baby.
Women who consumed the most red meat had a risk that was up to 49% higher! According to a different study published in the journal Diabetes Care, children whose mothers had developed gestational diabetes had a much higher risk of obesity. Middleton postulates that the increased risk may be caused by extra fat and chemicals found in red and processed meats rather than iron. The good news is that sources of protein other than meat appear to have the opposite impact. Just over half a serving of nuts each day can cut the risk of gestational diabetes by 40%, according to Middleton.
Bad Habit #4
Gaining Too Much Weight
According to a study published in PLoS Medicine, mothers who gain too much weight during pregnancy may permanently alter energy balance mechanisms in their offspring, such as appetite control. Researchers discovered that 39.4% of kids born to mothers who gained more than 40 pounds were overweight. The Institute of Medicine recommends that normal-weight women gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy.
Bad Habit #3
Not Gaining Enough Weight
The Goldilocks conundrum, if you will. The likelihood of having an overweight or obese child may also rise, according to researchers, if a pregnant woman gains too little weight. The extensive study, which was written up in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, discovered that pregnant women with normal Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements who gained less than the 25 to 35 pounds advised by the Institute of Medicine had a 63 percent higher chance of giving birth to an overweight or obese child.
Bad Habit #2
Not Considering Your Antidepressants
According to research from McMaster University, maternal use of a class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, may put infants at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, obesity, and fat deposition around the liver later in life. The findings, according to the study’s authors, do not mandate that pregnant women abstain from taking antidepressants; rather, they suggest that there may be risks involved. Although more research is required to confirm these findings, you should speak with your doctor if you have any concerns.
Bad Habit #1
Not Sharing Your Traumatic Stress With Your Doctor
According to a study from Aarhus University that was published in PloS ONE, children who are exposed to high levels of stress while they are still developing have a higher risk of becoming overweight or obese as adults. Depending on how close of a relationship the mother had with the deceased, young men whose mothers had experienced bereavement during pregnancy showed an increased risk for obesity.
The mother’s son would have been twice as likely to become overweight as an adult if she had lost her husband. The study emphasizes the importance of being honest with your doctor and the fact that emotional well-being is just as important as physical health, even though not all associations between the two are crystal clear. You and your doctor can collaborate closely to ensure your child’s health by discussing both your physical and emotional stress.