As prior studies have shown, moms-to-be who eat a high-fat,
high-sugar diet during pregnancy may be putting their babies at
greater risk for childhood obesity. But according to animal
research, cutting down on the negative health effects of a poor
prenatal diet may be much easier than previously thought. The
secret? Eating more foods that are rich in antioxidants. The
study, led by scientists at The Children's Hospital of
Philadelphia and published in the December 2010 issue of the
journal Diabetes, found that rat mothers who ate the "standard
American diet"—mainly processed foods high in sugar and
fat—during pregnancy tended to have offspring who quickly showed
signs of glucose intolerance and obesity. But when scientists
added antioxidants (vitamins C and E) to these foods, offspring
showed no signs obesity and significantly better glucose
tolerance. In a March 14, 2011, media release from The
Children's Hospital, researchers note that high-fat, high-sugar
foods lead to greater "oxidative stress" in the bod