Aug 16, 2010

In a recent Time article, CPC Fellow Anna Maria Siega-Riz discusses the findings of a study on the connection between a child’s birth weight and maternal weight gain during pregnancy. The study looked at a sample of women who gave birth at least twice between 1989 and 2003 to determine that low weight gain during pregnancy usually results in low birth weight whereas high maternal weight gain leads to high birth weight. The results of the study indicate that genetics might have less influence on birth weight than family factors. Within the article, Siega-Riz stresses that the findings should only be used to to draw conclusions concerning maternal weight gain and birth weight but should not be relied on to make connections between maternal weight gain and the future obesity risks of offspring.

The full article can be read here.

Source: “Tracing the Roots of Obesity Back to the Womb” Time. (August 5, 2010)