DIET ALERT: Urgent warning to expectant mothers about nutritional errors that could harm their baby

MUMS-to-be have been warned to keep track of their diet during pregnancy.US researchers have found that people who consume "ultra-processed foods" are more likely to have obese children. Experts say this is independent of other lifestyle risk factors.

By BinodPublished 2 years ago • 3 min read

Ultra-processed foods refer to meals and snacks such as ice cream, cookies, sodas, potato chips, and instant his soup. The expert said at BMJ he looked at data on over 200,000 mothers and their children.

Participants recorded what they ate and drank through health questionnaires, and their offspring were also monitored. The researchers also looked at many other potentially influencing factors known to be strongly correlated with childhood obesity.

These included maternal weight, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, smoking, living conditions (with or without partner), and partner education. It also included children's ultra-processed food consumption, physical activity, and sedentary time.

A total of 2,471 (12%) children developed overweight or obesity during a median follow-up of 4 years. The results of the study showed that these foods were associated with an increased risk of overweight or obesity in offspring.

A 26% higher risk was observed in the group with the highest maternal consumption of ultra-processed foods. The high consumption group had 12.1 servings per day and the lowest consumption group had 3.4 servings per day.

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The researchers noted that this was an observational study and that self-reporting of food could be problematic.

They said the dataset "supports the importance of improving dietary recommendations and developing programs to improve the nutrition of women of childbearing age to promote healthy offspring." added. Duane Mellor, a Ph.D. registered dietitian and senior teaching fellow at Aston University Aston School of Medicine, said the study did not provide evidence of causation.

"It is also important to note that the mother's food intake at other times in the child's life was not included in the analysis, and the other parent's food intake (income only) was not considered.

"This is an important public health concern for everyone in the family to eat a healthy, varied diet based on vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, whole grains, and moderate amounts of meat (or alternatives) and dairy. It does not change the message above.

"It only showed an association between maternal consumption of ultra-processed foods during pregnancy and infant weight gain, and to see if this is a dietary effect, details of the family's shared diet should be examined." The most important family nutrition in terms of healthy weight gain and growth.

Here Are some extra advice to keep in mind,

Avoid seafood high in mercury

Seafood is a great source of protein, and the omega-3 fatty acids found in many fish help your baby's brain and eye development. However, some seafood contains potentially dangerous levels of mercury. Too much mercury can damage your baby's developing nervous system.

Larger and older fish may contain more mercury. During pregnancy, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends avoiding:

Bigeye tuna
king mackerel
Marlin
orange rough neck
swordfish
shark
Amadai

So what's safe?

Some types of seafood are low in mercury. We recommend consuming ounces (224 to 336 grams). examination:

anchovies
catfish
Cod
herring
canned light tuna
pacific oyster
Walleye
salmon
sardine
shade
shrimp
Tilapia
trout

However, limit albacore tuna to 6 ounces (168 grams) per week.

Avoid raw, undercooked, or contaminated seafood

Avoid raw seafood. Examples of raw or undercooked foods to avoid include sushi, sashimi, ceviche, raw oysters, scallops, or clams.
Avoid cold, undercooked seafood. Examples include Nova Style labeled seafood, salmon, chips, smoked or jerky fish. Smoked seafood is safe to eat as an ingredient in casseroles and other prepared meals. Canned and shelf-stable versions are also safe.
Understand local fishing advice. When eating fish caught in your local waters, especially if water pollution is an issue, keep an eye out for local fish cues. Do not eat other fish.
Properly prepare seafood. Cook the fish to an internal temperature of 63°C. When the fish breaks into flakes and becomes opaque throughout, it's done. Cook shrimp, lobster, and scallops until milky. Cook mussels, mussels, and oysters until shells open. Throw away the ones that don't open.

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