Junk Food During Pregnancy=Obese Kids
May 1, 2008
By Miranda Hitti
Eating lots of junk food during pregnancy or while breastfeeding may make childhood obesity more likely, a new study suggests.
The pregnancy diet study was conducted in rats, not people. But the researchers argue that their findings show that mothers may pass their junk food diets on to their offspring and increase their obesity. The researchers included Stephanie Bayol, Ph.D., and professor Neil Stickland, Ph.D., of London’s Royal Veterinary College.
Breast-feeding for healthier and smarter babies
May 1, 2008
By Associated Press
ATLANTA –More than three out of four new mothers breast-feed their infants, the highest rate in the U.S. in at least 20 years, according to a government report.
About 77% of new mothers breast-feed, at least briefly, up from 60% in 1993-1994, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
“It looks like it is an all-time high” based on CDC surveys since the mid-1980s, said Jeff Lancashire, a CDC spokesman.
Experts attributed the rise to education campaigns that emphasize that breast milk is better than formula at protecting babies against disease and childhood obesity. A changing culture that accommodates nursing mothers may also be a factor.
