Obesity is increasing at an epidemic rate in women of reproductive age. Not only does obesity during pregnancy lead to increased maternal health concerns, it is also linked to an increase in adiposity. A drug that increases energy metabolism may lead to a new approach to prevent obesity in children born to overweight mothers, UNSW Sydney researchers have found.
"There is much excitement about improving metabolism pharmacologically in ways that might be helpful for people with obesity," said Head of Pharmacology in the School of Medical Sciences at UNSW, Professor Margaret Morris.
Pre-Maternal Obesity Linked to Neurocognitive Problems in Premature Babies
Pre-pregnancy obesity increases risk for neurocognitive problems in premature babies. Preterm birth is an important risk factor for cognitive impairment and disability.
Advertisement
‘A drug that increases energy metabolism may lead to a new approach to prevent obesity in children born to overweight mothers.’
Tweet it Now
"Our previous research in animal models showed that overweight expectant rats are more likely to have babies who may have an increased risk of developing obesity later in life. We also found that exercise can reverse most of the negative consequences of maternal obesity," she said.
"But, we know that exercise for some people is difficult. Some people cannot fit it in their day, and some people cannot exercise for various reasons. Therefore, the research field is interested in thinking about other approaches for this difficult issue to improve health."
![Umbilical Cells Shed Light on How Maternal Obesity Affects the Offspring]( "Umbilical Cells Shed Light on How Maternal Obesity Affects the Offspring")
Umbilical cells from children of obese or overweight mothers show impaired expression of key genes regulating cell energy and metabolism.
This study, led by Professor Morris and published in Scientific Reports, examined the effect of a drug called NMN on the negative effects of maternal obesity.
Professor Morris said the reason for using NMN was that, like exercise, it increases the function of mitochondria, which are the powerhouse of our cells and make energy.
During the study, female mice whose mothers were obese were given either a normal diet or a high-fat diet and given treadmill exercise for nine weeks or NMN for 18 days.
The researchers found that both the NMN treatment and exercise reduced the negative metabolic consequences of maternal obesity in the offspring. Both interventions reduced the amount of body fat, and led to some improvement in glucose tolerance and markers of mitochondrial function.
"What is really encouraging about our findings is that a short-term NMN treatment of animals from obese mothers had the same benefit as their siblings who exercised," Professor Morris said.
"Our study offers some promise that we may have another approach that might be appropriate to prevent obesity in children from overweight mothers. However, we do still need to look at other effects of the drug. For instance, we need to make sure it has no toxic effects, which we are following up in other studies."
Source: Eurekalert
Umbilical Cells Shed Light on How Maternal Obesity Affects the Offspring
Umbilical cells from children of obese or overweight mothers show impaired expression of key genes regulating cell energy and metabolism.
Advertisement
This study, led by Professor Morris and published in Scientific Reports, examined the effect of a drug called NMN on the negative effects of maternal obesity.
Professor Morris said the reason for using NMN was that, like exercise, it increases the function of mitochondria, which are the powerhouse of our cells and make energy.
During the study, female mice whose mothers were obese were given either a normal diet or a high-fat diet and given treadmill exercise for nine weeks or NMN for 18 days.
The researchers found that both the NMN treatment and exercise reduced the negative metabolic consequences of maternal obesity in the offspring. Both interventions reduced the amount of body fat, and led to some improvement in glucose tolerance and markers of mitochondrial function.
"What is really encouraging about our findings is that a short-term NMN treatment of animals from obese mothers had the same benefit as their siblings who exercised," Professor Morris said.
"Our study offers some promise that we may have another approach that might be appropriate to prevent obesity in children from overweight mothers. However, we do still need to look at other effects of the drug. For instance, we need to make sure it has no toxic effects, which we are following up in other studies."
Source: Eurekalert
Maternal Obesity Increases Odds of Having Overweight Kids
Children are considered overweight at age 2 if their BMI is greater than the 85th percentile for their age and sex, based on the growth charts from CDC.
Advertisement
 Maternal Obesity Does Not Influence The Development Of Gut Microflora In InfantsChildren are born without microbes in their gut. The transition from early infant feeding to family foods is a major determinant for gut microbiota. | Advertisement
|
Advertisement
Recommended Reading
Latest Women Health News
Experts suggest that getting regular mammograms at the age of 40 can help women prevent breast cancer.
The commonly used Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) is not useful for shared clinical decision-making regarding osteoporosis screening in younger postmenopausal women.
Researchers hypothesized that adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO) are associated with younger age at first stroke, with a stronger relationship in those with >1 pregnancy with APO.
Women grapple with the risk of mental illnesses as immense challenge of constantly striving for perfection and balancing multiple roles takes a toll.
Irrespective of dietary preferences, lactating mothers maintain similar concentrations of nutrients in their breast milk, when comparing vegan and omnivorous diets.