The habit of consuming high-fat food can cause a lot of health problems, including obesity. This type of diet poses an even bigger risk when adopted by women during pregnancy. A recent research in primates has proven that children born from a mother with high-fat diet during pregnancy may suffer from disturbances in brain development, endocrine system, and in the long term, behavioural issues.
In a study done by the Oregon National Primate Research Center, scientists fed pregnant female primates with high-fat diet and analysed its effects on the offsprings. The result shows that the primates’ offsprings suffer from behavioural problems, including anxiety and depression. Considering the increasing number of obese women during pregnancy and the possibility of it being caused by high-fat diet, this issue needs to be taken seriously.
In the study, two groups of pregnant primates were studied: one fed with high-fat diet, and the other with a balanced diet as a control group. Sometime after birth, the scientists measured and compared the behaviour of the offsprings. Regardless of the gender, baby primates from the first group showed increased anxiety compared to the second group. Besides that, the first group also showed disturbances in neuron development, specifically serotonin, which is an important neurotransmitter in brain growth during the gestation period.
Based on this study, we can conclude that high-fat diet during pregnancy may not only negatively impact the weight scale, but also the children’s behaviour in the future. This shows how important it is to be aware of and practice a healthier lifestyle with balanced dietary intake, especially during pregnancy.
Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Google Search Image
Source(s):
- https://www.sciencedaily.com/
- Thompson, J. R., Valleau, J. C., Barling, A. N., et al (2017). Exposure to a High-Fat Diet during Early Development Programs Behavior and Impairs the Central Serotonergic System in Juvenile Non-Human Primates. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 8 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2017.00164