A new US National Institutes of Health (NIH) study reveals that preventing adult obesity starts during a mother’s pregnancy. It finds that pregnant people who gain excess weight during the first-trimester are linked to larger fetal abdominal and arm fat. A separate study finds fatty muscles raise the risk of serious heart diseases.A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that adult obesity can be prevented during fetal development. Timing of weight gain, instead of total weight gain, is key for preventing excess fetal size and reducing the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
