No one can deny that pregnancy is an exciting time, but it can come with a lot of emotional stressors too. Growing a life isn’t easy!
Now pregnant moms can take one thing off their list of worries thanks to a new study published in BMC Magazine. In a nutshell, the study reveals that a woman’s higher weight while pregnant does not mean their child will not have a higher BMI in their own lifetime.
On the contrary, children studied with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 or higher were found to be of that weight more so due to environmental factors and not related to their mother’s weight while pregnant.
To perform the study, researchers used data from “Children of the 90s” and “Born in Bradford” UK long-term studies. They analyzed the BMI at various intervals from birth to 15 years old and while there was a tiny link between a newborn’s weight and mom’s BMI at birth, by the time kids were in their teens researchers found any weight factors were more likely influenced from lifestyle and genetics.
So what’s the secret to raising healthy kids? Mostly what we parents already know: lots of healthy food, keeping kids active, and making sure we prioritize body acceptance.
––Karly Wood
Feature photo: Stocksnap via Pixabay
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