New research reveals that maternal obesity before and during pregnancy significantly increases the risk of neuropsychiatric and behavioral conditions in children, including a 32% higher risk of ADHD and more than double the risk of autism. Study: Associations between maternal preconception and pregnancy adiposity and neuropsychiatric and behavioral outcomes in the offspring: A systematic review and meta-analysis . Image Credit: Reshetnikov_art / Shutterstock.
com Does maternal fat mass carry long-term mental health risks for the offspring? A recent study published in Psychiatry Research investigates the potential relationship between maternal fat mass and long-term mental health issues in children born to these mothers. How does obesity during pregnancy affect infant health? As obesity rates throughout the world continue to rise, the presence of obesity both before and during pregnancy among women has become a significant public health issue. Maternal adiposity can increase the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes, including preterm birth, small or large for gestational-age infants, and stillbirth.
Recent evidence also suggests that obesity during pregnancy may increase the risk of neuropsychiatric and behavioral outcomes in childhood. As compared to children born from mothers with a healthy body weight before pregnancy, children born to overweight or obese women are at an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), mood diso.
