Pregnancy diet, your nutrition habit impacts the child’s growth, metabolism

Diet plan for pregnancy in India: A new study has established the link between a mother’s nutrition habits and metabolism, and its impact on the growth of the child.

Diet during pregnancy has always been considered as a focal point, and moms-to-be are advised to eat wisely. Now, a new study conducted by the Oregon Health and Science University pinpoints the link between a mother’s nutrition habits and metabolism, and its impact on the growth of the child.

Previous studies have shown that babies from mothers who are obese or eat obesity-causing diets during pregnancy have a tendency to develop conditions such as obesity, hypertension and Type-2 diabetes as adults. Another study suggested that mother’s stress during pregnancy can up binge eating in kids in adulthood, while a diet of junk food and no fruits leads to delayed pregnancy.

What the study shows

The study, led by Jae W Lee, demonstrated that two neurons are the key to growth and metabolism — GHRH and AgRP — and are developmentally interconnected. Located in the hypothalamus region of the brain, GHRH or growth hormone-release hormone neurons orchestrate body growth while AgRP or Agouti-related peptide neurons stimulate feeding and suppress energy usage.

(With inputs from ANI)

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