Low carb diets have been popular for the past several years. Carbs have gotten a lot of bad press and are blamed for weight gain. Restricting carbs has been shown to be helpful in weight loss programs. Women who have battled with weight or are concerned about excessive weight gain during pregnancy may consider restricting carbohydrates during pregnancy, but is it safe? The most important thing to understand, and something many people overlook, is that not all carbs are bad. Carbohydrates are energy for the body and offer several benefits. The issue is the type of carbohydrates you are including … Continue reading →

Pregnant women are bombarded by advice about gaining too much weight during pregnancy. While there are many good reasons for this advice, it sometimes has an unintended consequence. Women may feel under pressure to avoid gaining weight and some will even diet in an attempt to avoid putting on too much weight. In general, diets are considered a bad idea during pregnancy and a new study has offered additional insight. The study was conducted at University of Nottingham. Like many studies, this one was conducted using animals, sheep to be exact. The reason is the similar length in gestation to … Continue reading →

The food a mother eats may play a role in childhood obesity, according to a study at Dublin University College. Specifically, the study looked at the glycemic index of the snacks eaten by pregnant women in late pregnancy. Researchers found women who ate high glycemic index snacks in the last trimester were more likely to have babies that would later develop childhood obesity. Other studies have linked dietary factors and maternal weight gain with childhood obesity. This is one of the first to begin to look at specific factors related to snacking and eating patterns with the child’s weight later. … Continue reading →