Exercise during pregnancy reduces the chances of the unborn baby becoming obese

The primary role of brown fat, also called good fat, is to produce heat by burning energy. In contrast, white (also known as yellow) adipose tissue can be attributed to obesity and is more difficult to burn.

In their studies, Du and Son observed that the offspring of mice that exercised daily during pregnancy not only had a higher proportion of brown fat relative to their body weight, but also burned white fat faster than mice in the control group that did not exercise. . The exercise therefore helped prevent obesity and also improved the health of their metabolism.

Research by Washington scientists is also unique because so far the effects of exercise during pregnancy on fetal development have only been studied in overweight mothers.

"Previous research has shown that exercise by overweight mothers during pregnancy has provided protection for their offspring against metabolic disorders and obesity. This new research highlights that these positive effects also apply to offspring of healthy and fit mothers," she said. du.

As exercise during pregnancy becomes less common and the proportion of overweight children is increasing among mothers with different body mass indices, the researchers hope their results will encourage fit and healthy women to continue their active lifestyles during pregnancy.

"Our results suggest that physical activity during pregnancy is also critical for the metabolic health of the newborn in fit women. We believe this research may help to combat obesity in the United States and other countries," Son explained.

In the study, one group of healthy pregnant mice were induced to lie down, and another group exercised daily. Offspring were given energy- or calorie-rich foods.

Strikingly, in the experimental group, i.e., male and female offspring born from a physically active mother also consumed more than the control group, yet gained less fat. In addition, their glucose tolerance increased. Glucose intolerance is a precursor to the development of diabetes and other obesity-related diseases. Exercise during pregnancy also stimulates the production of a hormone called apelin in both mothers and fetuses. Apelin promotes the development of brown fat and promotes metabolic health. The researchers also found that when appellant was administered to pregnant mice in the control group, it produced the positive effects in the offspring that occurred in the offspring of exercise mice. The key to developing anti-obesity drugs may be the apelin-based system, Du said.

(Source: biokalauz.co.hu; marmalade.co.hu; MTI | Image: pixabay.com)