A new study finds that the babies of expectant mothers who consume diet drinks during pregnancy are more likely to become overweight when they reach one year. This finding supports a theory that what you do during pregnancy can have lasting effects on the baby.
#dubai Artificial sweetener study: Could mom's diet soda habit make her k... https://t.co/LoQsdHwHhR
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Artificial Sweeteners & Childhood Obesity
The researchers examined 3,033 mothers as well as their infants to determine if the consumption of artificial sweeteners could affect babies' health and BMI later on, Los Angeles Times reported. The mothers completed food frequency questionnaire showing all the food and beverage they consumie while pregnant. After which, the babies' BMI were measured when they reached one.
The results show that 30 percent of the moms drank artificially sweetened beverages during their pregnancy, with five percent of them drinking every day. Aside from diet soda, the mothers reported drinking coffee, and tea sweetened with packets of Equal, Splenda or something similar.
The moms belonging to this 30 percent were also found to have higher BMIs and were more likely to be smokers. Later on, researchers found they didn't breastfeed. They also introduced their babies to solid foods earlier. Children of women who drank diet drinks every day were found to be twice as likely to be overweight compared to those who didn't take any artificially sweetened drinks.
Interestingly, the mothers who consumed diet drinks during pregnancy had no bearing on the baby's weight when they were born. The effect takes place not during the actual birth, rather during fetal development after the infant is born.
Further Investigation Needed
Still, the researchers couldn't find any link between sugary drinks during pregnancy and the risk of a baby to be overweight by age one. However, there's strong evidence between artificially sweetened beverages and the increased body mass index (BMI) of the babies according to Medical Daily.
"To our knowledge, our results provide the first human evidence that artificial sweetener consumption during pregnancy may increase the risk of early childhood overweight," Meghan Azad of the Children's Hospital research Institute of Manitoba and colleagues wrote in their report. The findings were published in the journal of the American Medical Association's JAMA Pediatrics, NBC News added.
With the epidemic of childhood obesity, the researchers admit that further investigation is needed to confirm their findings and determine the underlying biological mechanisms so doctors can recommend dietary guidelines for pregnant women. Currently, doctors recommend that pregnant women gain just enough weight through healthy diet and moderate exercise.
What do you think of the new study? Let us know through your comments. For a healthier pregnancy, check out the tips from this video:
