Childhood Obesity Prevention: Start before Pregnancy

A new study in Pediatrics highlights some of the risk factors for childhood obesity that begin during pregnancy or the two first years of life:

• depression during pregnancy
• more rapid weight gain during first 6 months of life
• introduction to solid foods before 4 months
• more restrictive feeding practices
• television sets in a toddler's room after 2

There are other risk factors during and even before pregnancy that increases a baby's risk of being overweight:

• Being underweight or overweight before pregnancy
• Not gaining enough weight--or gaining too much weight during pregnancy
• Having gestational diabetes--or abnormal blood glucose levels during pregnancy

I believe that to really halt childhood obesity, we need to start before pregnancy--and at the very least early pregnancy. Women often don't see their health care provider right when they learn they are pregnant. This is a missed opportunity for education about health habits and weight gain, that could help a mom have a healthier pregnancy and a smaller chance of a newborn who will grow up to be overweight.