https://www.naturalnews.com/036014_vitamin_D_pregnancy_childhood_obesity.html
(NaturalNews) A recent study of vitamin D levels in pregnant women has revealed a remarkable finding. Children born to women with a lower vitamin D level during pregnancy have increased body fat later in childhood compared to those children whose mothers have a higher vitamin D level.
A maternal vitamin D level less than 50 nmol/L was associated with increased fat mass in children at 4 and 6 years of age. Children in the study had an 8 percent reduction in fat mass if their mothers had a vitamin D level of 50-75 nmol/L. The mother's own levels of fat (body mass index) did not have any effect on the study results. The authors suggest that vitamin D insufficiency during pregnancy may program the child to gain excess fat later in life. Other studies have also confirmed an association between vitamin D intake and fat mass in adults.
This study adds to the growing body of evidence that has found higher levels of health in children born to mothers with adequate vitamin D stores during pregnancy. A higher vitamin D level during pregnancy is associated with less respiratory problems in babies, and a higher cord blood vitamin D level also correlates with less allergies and respiratory infections.
Pregnant women should have their vitamin D levels checked repeatedly during pregnancy and take a vitamin D supplement to maintain blood levels between 75 and 100 nmol/L.
ReferenceSarah R Crozier, Nicholas C Harvey, Hazel M Inskip, Keith M Godfrey, Cyrus Cooper, Sian M Robinson, and the SWS Study Group. Maternal
vitamin D status in pregnancy is associated with adiposity in the offspring: findings from the Southampton Women's Survey. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2012, doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.037473 July 2012.
About the author:Dr. Randall Neustaedter, OMD, has practiced and taught holistic medicine for more than thirty years in the San Francisco Bay area, specializing in child health care. He is a licensed acupuncturist and doctor of Chinese medicine, author of The Holistic Baby Guide, Child Health Guide and The Vaccine Guide. Visit his website,
www.cure-guide.com, to register for a free newsletter with pediatric specialty articles and follow him on Facebook, at Dr. Randall Neustaedter, OMD.
Receive Our Free Email Newsletter
Get independent news alerts on natural cures, food lab tests, cannabis medicine, science, robotics, drones, privacy and more.
Take Action: Support Natural News by linking to this article from your website
Permalink to this article:
Embed article link: (copy HTML code below):
Reprinting this article:
Non-commercial use OK, cite NaturalNews.com with clickable link.
Follow Natural News on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, and Pinterest