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Mom's Weight May Mean Early Death for Offspring

4 comments View Comments By: Healthcare Professionals All


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r jeffers

Article excerpts: “Reynolds's group cautioned that their analysis couldn't separate out the direct impact of maternal obesity versus shared lifestyle, genetics, and early environment.” “Other limitations were lack of adjustment for offspring obesity or paternal obesity and follow-up only to a relatively young age that might have underestimated the effect size on morbidity and mortality.” So...the piece proclaims that offspring from over-weight mothers have an elevated risk for illness and death BUT shared lifestyle (such as massive portions) was not controlled for. This is what is called a confounding variable (also known as the inability to see the forest because of the trees). Further, another limitation is the LACK of controlling for offspring obesity...which is strange considering the elevated risk is purportedly for offspring of obese mothers. One would assume that obese offspring have higher risk rates for illness/disease regardless of maternal obesity..

Jerry Segers

Many overweight mothers do not eat right - they get to may carbs and starches from following what they think is a good low fat diet. They pass their eating patterns to their children. Why is it news that the children are over weight with all the problems that condition is known to cause?.

james wilk

I have followed the literature on maternal obesity for years and it's not simply behavioral patterns learned from the mother--the baby's DNA is subjected IN UTERO to a number of epigenetic changes resulting in obesity, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Babies born to women after they receive bariatric surgery grow up to be healthier than their siblings born before their mother underwent bariatric surgery. It's the intrauterine environment to a large extent..

r jeffers

Mr Wilk: Bariatric surgery has become more available, safer, and popular to address obesity rates but this intervention is still in it's infancy. As of 2009 a world-wide study reports that 344,221 various bariatric surgeries have been performed to date. Yes the study is an old one but it does help make the point there is little time to draw the conclusion that children of bariatric patients are healthier than siblings born prior to surgery. type-percentage.pdf.