Mothers' fatty diet linked to fat babies

London, Apr 4 (UNI) Eating food rich in trans fats, such as biscuits and cakes, while pregnant or breastfeeding could lead to fatter babies, researchers suggest.

The experts behind the research warned of the implications for pregnant women.

The process of making hydrogenated fats and oils, which help extend the shelf life of products, could lead to the creation of trans fats.

Many takeaways and a wide range of snack foods contain these fats, which have been linked to heart disease.

In a study on rats, researchers from Sao Paulo Federal University found that feeding mothers, a diet high in trans fats had a greater level of body fat. Their babies, who were exposed to a high-fat diet after weaning, suffered a 40 per cent increase in body fat.

''Foetal growth is influenced by the mother's nutritional status,'' Telegraph quoted Luciana Pisani, the lead researcher as saying.

''We found that the fatty content of the babies' bodies increased when the mothers were fed the hydrogenated fat-rich diet,'' she added.

UNI XC PD PM1710