Pregnancy Diet May Lead To A Diabetic Child

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The nine months of pregnancy is very critical for the present and future health of the child. According to scientists in the University of Cambridge, poor pregnancy diet increase the risk of the child having diabetes later in life.

"What is most exciting about these findings is that we are now starting to really understand how nutrition during the first nine months of life spent in the womb shape our long term health by influencing how the cells in our body age," said Dr Susan Ozanne, the senior author on the paper and British Heart Foundation Senior Fellow from the Institute of Metabolic Science at the University of Cambridge.

The researches in the University of Cambridge has explained the link between pregnancy diet and Type 2 Diabetes in the child by learning about the connection of pregnancy and the Hnf4a gene. Study has proved that this gene is linked to Type 2 diabetes and is regulated by diet. The Hnf4a gene plays a great role in the development of the pancreas and the production of insulin. Poor pregnancy diet hinders the working of this gene and increases the risk of diabetes.

The link between pregnancy diet and the risk of type 2 diabetes in the child has been proved through an rat experiment. They had two sets of rats, one which was given the right dose of nutrient and the other set was given a diet devoid of protein. They then studies the RNA insulin secreting cell of the offspring who received normal diet and from the rats which were not fed well. The comparison showed that the ones whose diet during pregnancy was not right showed risk to Type 2 Diabetes, due to decreased Hnf4a gene. Thus, proving that to avoid Type-2 diabetes, the right diet is of utmost importance.

Professor Jeremy Pearson, Associate Medical Director at the British Heart Foundation, said, "We already know that a healthy pregnancy is important in shaping a child's health, and their risk of heart disease as they grow up. The reasons why are not well understood, but this study in rats adds to the evidence that a mother's diet may sometimes alter the control of certain genes in her unborn child. It's no reason for expectant mothers to be unduly worried. This research doesn't change our advice that pregnant women should try to eat a healthy, balanced diet."