We've written before about why it's a good idea to shed pounds before you conceive -- for one thing, it may make it easier for you to get pregnant. And we all know that being at a healthy weight is good for you and your baby, and can make childbirth easier and with fewer complications.
A new study shows more good reasons to lose weight before you conceive -- or at least good reasons not to diet once you are pregnant. A study in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB Journal) found evidence that babies of mothers who were dieting around the time they conceived and early in their pregnancy were likelier to have an increased risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes later on in life.
It's worth noting that the research was done in animals - sheep, in particular - and not in humans, and it focused on twin pregnancies. It also looked just at genetic changes that may or may not lead to obesity and diabetes down the road. So it's far from conclusive. But it is an interesting insight into how changing your nutrition -- for the worse, by restricting calories and possibly nutrients in an attempt to shed pounds -- around the time of conception might affect your child far into his or her future.
