Obesity in mothers alters babies' weight through brain rewiring
Friday, January 24, 2014 - 12:02
in Health & Medicine
Obese mothers are more likely to have children with metabolic disorders, but the underlying reasons for this effect have been unclear. A new study reveals that the offspring of mouse mothers on a high-fat diet are predisposed to obesity and diabetes because of abnormal neuronal circuits in the hypothalamus. The findings suggest that mothers who consume a large amount of fat during the third trimester may be putting their children at risk for lifelong obesity.