Making Mom healthier and happier - and baby too
Around 1900, the average weight of a 5 foot, 3 inch American woman age 25 to 29 was 132 pounds; a normal weight. Today, according to a new report, 50 percent of moms-to-be (average height 5 foot, 4 inches) are overweight (25.6 percent) or obese (24.8 percent) before becoming pregnant.
That can cause trouble for Mom (gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy; a tougher delivery; and diabetes, depression and heart woes after giving birth), and it can increase a child's risk of premature diabetes, obesity and other health challenges down the road.
Well, now there's another wrinkle: Researchers found that if Mom eats a high-fat diet while pregnant, baby's gut biome ends up with a lack of bacteroides microbes. Those microbes are essential for extracting energy from carbohydrates and help nurture other important gut bacteria. Result? A baby has a compromised immune system and compromised metabolic health.
So moms-to-be, make sure you take prenatal vitamins with DHA-omega-3. They reduce the risk of autism spectrum disorder by 40 percent and spine malformation and childhood cancer by over 60 percent. Keep close tabs on your unhealthy fat intake: Eliminate all trans fats and most saturated fat; stick with skinless poultry and fish. (Follow seafood recommendations at www.FDA.gov - search for "New Advice: Pregnant Women and Young Children Should Eat More Fish.") Limit fat intake to no more than about 25 percent of daily calories; if you're eating 1,800 calories a day, that means 350 should come from healthy fats, just a bit less than 3 tablespoon of good-for-you olive oil.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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