Were you stressed while you were pregnant? Are you undergoing various psychological, physical and emotional disturbances while you are bearing your child? A recent study has indicated that children who are born of stressed mothers have a higher risk of developing abdominal obesity.
The research published in the FASEB Journal discusses that a neuropeptide is responsible for the development of abdominal obesity in children born of stressed mothers.
The neuropeptide Y along with its Y2 receptor have roles to play in the development of obesity. Mothers who suffered from stress during pregnancy were seen to have children who had an increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome and diabetes type 2. However, mothers who can’t relieve their stress may have their neuropeptide Y manipulated to prevent significant stress-induced obesity in their children.
Sources of Stress in Pregnant Mothers
Stress plays a significant role in the development of various illnesses including those that may occur in an unborn baby. Pregnant women can experience significant stress because of the interplay of hormones during pregnancy that makes their mood and emotions unstable.
Experts acknowledge the fact that pregnant women may have some sort of ambivalence and self-centered characteristics; however, these are just normal. Significant stress that may affect an unborn baby may include stress that originates from their partners, work and presence of co morbid or other underlying conditions. These sources of stress are significant enough to lead to metabolic problems in their children in the future. Experts recommend reducing stress during pregnancy as much as possible by making the pregnancy experience more desirable.
Effects of Stress during Pregnancy
As presented earlier, maternal stress may significantly lead to metabolic conditions such as the development of abdominal obesity and impaired glucose tolerance as affected by the neuropeptide Y and its receptor. This conclusion was supported by research done in mice.
Three groups of pregnant mice were used in the study. One group was fed a high-protein diet; the second group a normal protein diet and the third a low-protein diet. The mice were fed these diets during pregnancy and lactation. After which, the expression of the nueropeptide Y was observed.
The results showed that those who were fed a high-protein diet experienced better expression of neuropeptide Y, which resulted in better stress adaptation. This result can be used to manipulate the stress levels of pregnant women in order to reduce the impact of stress in developing abdominal obesity in their children.
It is essential for pregnant women to maintain a high-protein diet not only for nutritional purposes, but also for stress reduction as well as to improve general well-being during pregnancy. In addition, a high-protein diet may also lead to better growth and development of the fetus inside the womb since proteins are the chief sources of amino acids for organ growth.
If you are pregnant, it is better to undertake a healthy diet such as a diet rich in proteins. To help you plan your every day meals, Medifast and Nutrisystem may help you. These diet companies provide you with healthy food choices according to your needs. Visit this website for more information about Medifast and Nutrisystem.
For mothers who experience significant stress during pregnancy, they can still reverse the effects of this stress on their children. A good feeding pattern early in infancy will significantly reduce the development of obesity as well as diabetes. Children should be taught proper dietary habits and encouraged to undertake a healthy lifestyle. Encourage them to play outdoor games instead of computer games.
The development of obesity is multi-factorial so parents, especially mothers, should ensure a healthy pregnancy physically, emotionally and psychologically.
Dr. Amarendra likes to write on weight loss. Being doctor he enjoys offering free tips on weight loss at various blogs.