Stress during pregnancy leads to abdominal obesity in mice offspring

ScienceDaily (July 31, 2012) — New research suggests that the neuropeptide Y in plasma and its Y2 receptor in visceral fat play an important role in obesity.

See Also:Health & MedicineObesityDiet and Weight LossStaying HealthyMind & BrainDieting and Weight ControlNutrition ResearchStressReferenceAppetiteNutrition and pregnancyGeneral fitness trainingDiabetes mellitus type 2

A new report involving mice suggests that a relationship exists between maternal metabolic or psychological stress and the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome in her offspring. What's more, the report shows that if the stress cannot be reduced or eliminated, manipulating the neuropeptide Y (NPY) system in visceral fat may prevent maternal stress-induced obesity from occurring in the next generation. This discovery is reported in the August 2012 issue of The FASEB Journal.

"Obesity is a worldwide disease. Here we found that maternal stress, psychologically and metabolically, increases abdominal obesity and glucose intolerance in the next generation in a sex-specific manner, which is mediated by the NPY system in visceral fat," said Ruijun Han, a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology, Stress Physiology Center at the University of Minnesota. "Our study suggested that NPY in the platelet-rich plasma and its Y2 receptor in the visceral fat, play an important role in maternal stress-programmed abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome in offspring."

To make this discovery, Young and colleagues fed different groups of pregnant mice a low protein diet during pregnancy and lactation; a normal protein diet during pregnancy and lactation; or a low protein diet only during pregnancy. After weaning, all the pups were fed high fat diets for 18 weeks, and metabolic parameters and expression of NPY system in periphery tissues were monitored and measured.

"There are a lot of reasons why expectant mothers should not be under stress," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal, "and this report adds yet another reason. What's most interesting, however, is that it provides some insight into how we can counter the negative effects of stress, even when it's not possible to reduce or eliminate the stressors themselves."

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Experts Offer Tips to Cut Kids' Screen Time During Summer

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Health Tip: Don't Neglect Oral Hygiene During Pregnancy

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Greater diet-induced obesity in rats consuming sugar solution during the inactive period

ScienceDaily (July 10, 2012) — New research presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB) suggests that, not only the amount and type of food eaten but the time of day it is eaten is important in contributing to obesity.

See Also:Health & MedicineDiet and Weight LossObesityFitnessPlants & AnimalsFoodAnimalsAgriculture and FoodReferenceSouth Beach dietDetox dietBlood sugarHigh fructose corn syrup

Previous studies have shown that when mice consumed all of their calories during their inactive period they gained more weight than when they consumed the same amount of calories during their active period. A team led by Drs. Susanne la Fleur and Andries Kalsbeek at the Academic Medical Center of the University of Amsterdam wished to investigate how certain components of the diet, such as sugar or fat, contributed to differences in weight gain during different times of the day.

To address this question Dr. Joelle Oosterman gave rats either rodent chow or chow plus either saturated fat or a sugar solution. One group was allowed to consume the diets freely whereas the other groups were only allowed to eat either the fat or sugar during their inactive period. They found that rats consuming all of their sugar solution in the inactive period gained more weight than rats consuming all their sugar solution during the active period, even though their total caloric intake was the same. They also gained more weight than rats consuming the saturated fat solely during the inactive period. The greater body weight gain in rats consuming sugar in the inactive period was associated with less heat production.

This research suggests that there are differences in the impact sugar drinking can have on body weight gain, depending on when in the day it is consumed. Dr. Oosterman commented, "In today's society where snacks containing saturated fat and beverages containing lots of sugar are readily available to people, it is important to understand the impact these food components have on energy balance. Although there is a lot of attention for the content of the food people consume, little attention is been given to the best or worst timing for certain foods to be consumed."

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Fewer iron supplements during pregnancy work just as well for preventing anemia, study suggests

ScienceDaily (July 11, 2012) — Taking iron supplements one to three times a week instead of every day is just as effective at preventing anemia in pregnant women, according to the findings of a new Cochrane systematic review. The authors of the review also showed that women experienced fewer side effects when taking iron supplements intermittently rather than daily.

See Also:Health & MedicineAnemiaPregnancy and ChildbirthFolic AcidSickle Cell AnemiaNutritionDiet and Weight LossReferenceNutrition and pregnancyB vitaminsMicronutrientGynecologic hemorrhage

Lack of iron can cause anemia in pregnant women, potentially increasing the risk of complications at delivery. It may also be harmful to their babies, through increased risk of low birth weight and even delayed growth and development later in life. anemia is diagnosed as a low level of hemoglobin in the blood. However, hemoglobin levels should be carefully controlled during pregnancy, as high concentrations have also been associated with an increased risk of babies being born early or with low birthweight. Traditionally, anemia during pregnancy is prevented by daily supplements containing iron and folic acid, started as early in the pregnancy as possible. However, some countries, such as the UK, do not recommend routine preventive iron supplementation to all women.

The researchers analysed data from 18 trials involving a total of 4,072 pregnant women who took iron supplements alone, with folic acid or with multi-vitamin and mineral supplements. According to the results, women who took iron supplements once, twice or three times a week on non-consecutive days were no more likely to suffer from anemia by the end of their pregnancies than those who took them daily, and their babies were no more likely to be born early or have a low birth weight. Furthermore, those taking the supplements intermittently rather than daily were less likely to experience side effects including nausea, constipation and high hemoglobin levels during pregnancy.

"Intermittent iron supplementation could be considered as a feasible alternative to daily supplementation for preventing anemia during pregnancy, particularly in developed countries where anemia in pregnancy is not a public health problem and there is good antenatal care for monitoring anemia status," said lead author Juan Pablo Peña-Rosas, Coordinator of Evidence and Programme Guidance of the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. "At the moment evidence is limited and the quality of the trials included in our review was generally low."

The review authors say further research is needed to clarify safe maternal iron doses and their effects on infants. "It is important to evaluate new regimens to be able to respond to the need of the different countries that face different challenges in anemia prevention during pregnancy. We would advise that trials make an effort to evaluate the health of newborns and infants from birth to six months of life or more," said Peña-Rosas.

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Antiobiotic Resistance Spikes During Flu Season

HealthDay – 1 hr 2 mins ago WEDNESDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- Resistance to antibiotics spikes during flu season, likely because that's when the drugs are prescribed more often, researchers report.

Physicians and scientists have worried for years about the possible overuse of antibiotics, since germs can adapt and become immune to them over time.

The researchers looked at statistics regarding antibiotic use and levels of resistance to the drugs. They found that levels of drug-resistant E. coli went up after spikes in prescriptions of two antibiotics, aminopenicillin and fluoroquinolone. The same thing happened to the antibiotic-resistant staph infection called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, better known as MRSA. In the months after prescriptions for two other antiobiotics, fluoroquinolones and macrolides, went up, so did cases of MRSA.

"The correlations are concerning, but they also suggest that interventions to reduce antibiotic overuse could help reduce seasonal spikes in resistance," study author Ramanan Laxminarayan said in a Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy news release. "Patients and doctors should work together to reduce the number of unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions by not taking or prescribing antibiotics to treat viral illnesses, such as colds and flus. Flu shots also have an important role to play, reducing illness in winter months and leading to fewer doctor visits and fewer antibiotic prescriptions as a result."

The study appeared online this month in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

More information:

The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on antibiotics.

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Abuse during childhood may contribute to obesity in adulthood

ScienceDaily (July 2, 2012) — Investigators from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston University's Slone Epidemiology Center report research findings that may shed light on influences on obesity during adulthood. Appearing in the journal Pediatrics, the study found an association of severity of sexual and physical abuse during childhood and adolescence with obesity during adulthood.

See Also:Health & MedicineObesityDiet and Weight LossFitnessMind & BrainDieting and Weight ControlCrystal MethIllegal DrugsReferenceSubstance abuseStretch marksChild abuseAdult attention-deficit disorder

The findings were based on the ongoing Black Women's Health Study, which has followed a large cohort of African-American women since 1995. Information provided in 2005 by more than 33,000 participants on early life experiences of abuse was assessed in relation to two measures of obesity: body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or more as a measure of overall obesity and waist circumference greater than 35 inches as a measure of central obesity.

The risk of obesity in 2005 by either measure was estimated to be approximately 30 percent greater among women in the highest category of physical and sexual abuse than in women who reported no abuse. The association was dampened but not fully explained by allowance for reproductive history, diet, physical activity and depressive symptoms, which might have been intermediates between abuse and weight gain.

According to the researchers, the findings add to growing evidence that experiences during childhood may have long-term health consequences. "Abuse during childhood may adversely shape health behaviors and coping strategies, which could lead to greater weight gain in later life," explained Renee Boynton-Jarrett, MD, the lead investigator of the study and a pediatric primary care physician at Boston Medical Center. She also noted that metabolic and hormonal disruptions resulting from abuse could have that effect and that childhood abuse could be a marker for other adversities. "Ultimately, greater understanding of pathways between early life abuse and adult weight status may inform obesity prevention and treatment approaches." Boynton-Jarrett cautioned that further studies are needed to clarify just which factors are responsible for the association of abuse with obesity and noted there is a consensus that pediatric providers should screen for abuse.

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Standing for long periods during pregnancy may curb fetal growth: But working up to 36 weeks has no adverse effect, study suggests

ScienceDaily (June 28, 2012) — Standing for long periods during pregnancy may curb the growth of the developing fetus, suggests research published online in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

See Also:Health & MedicinePregnancy and ChildbirthInfant's HealthMenopauseBirth DefectsGynecologyChronic IllnessReferenceMaternal bondColostrumBreech birthBirth weight

Previous research has indicated that long working hours may increase the risk of birth defects, premature birth, stillbirth and low birth-weight.

The researchers assessed the fetal growth rates of 4680 mums to be from early pregnancy onwards between 2002 and 2006.

Midway through their pregnancy, the women were quizzed about their work conditions and the physical demands of their jobs, including whether these included lifting, long periods of standing or walking, night shifts and long working hours.

Around four out of 10 (38.5%) of the women spent a long time on their feet and 45.5% had to walk for long periods. Heavy lifting was part of the job for just 6%, while around 4% worked night shifts.

The development of their babies was regularly measured throughout pregnancy, using ultrasound, and then again at birth.

The results showed that physically demanding work and long working hours were not consistently associated with restrictions on overall size or birth-weight, or with premature birth.

And working up to 34 or 36 weeks of pregnancy had no adverse impact on fetal development.

But women who spent long periods on their feet during their pregnancy, in jobs such as sales, childcare, and teaching, had babies whose heads were an average of 1 cm (3%) smaller than average at birth, implying a slower growth rate.

Around half the women (47.5%) worked between 25 and 39 hours a week, while around one in four (23%) worked more than 40 hours a week.

And those who worked more than 40 hours a week had smaller babies than those who worked under 25 hours a week.

Babies born to these women had a head circumference that was 1 cm smaller and a weight that was between 148 and 198 g smaller, on average, than babies born to women working under 25 hours a week. These differences were apparent from the third trimester (last three months of pregnancy) onwards.

The authors comment that generally women who are working outside the home have fewer pregnancy complications, birth defects, and stillbirths than women who are unemployed, but that certain aspects of work may not be without risk.

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DHA Helps Preserve Eyesight During Aging

Eyesight is a weak link in the aging process. Retinal function progressively declines even in healthy aging and is sped up by a variety of health issues. Loss of vision issues are at epidemic levels in older Americans. The authors of a new study conclude, “Dietary DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. could have broad preventative therapeutic applications (acting on pathologic and normal age-related ocular processes).” 

One hallmark of the aging process is accumulation of lipofuscin. Lipofuscin is an accumulation of damaged fat fragments. When these occur under your skin we call them age spots. They occur in your brain and block memory. When they occur at an accelerated rate they typify poor health and disease risk. Lipofuscin accumulation in the retina is highly associated with age-related macular degeneration.

In order to study the effect of DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. on this issue scientists used a transgenic mouse model (mutant human ELOVL4; E4), which displays extensive age-related retina dysfunction and massive lipofuscin accumulation. They measured the lipofuscin accumulation by determining the levels of one of the components of the lipofuscin called A2E. The effect of DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. was also measured in normal mice.

Supplementation for one to three months had no effect. As supplementation continued, improvement was noted in both types of mice.  The longer the mice were supplemented (up to 18 months in this study), the better the results.  In the mutant mice destined for retinal disease, problems were arrested mid-degenerative stage, preventing the onset of retinal disease.  In the normal mice the typical lipofuscin accumulation in the retina was prevented.  This study provides a specific and important mechanism demonstrating how DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. protects eyesight.

This study supports the ongoing use of DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. to preserve eyesight.  A few months of DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. is likely to do little, whereas the ongoing use of DHA Docosahexaenoic acid Essential omega 3 fatty acid integral to the health of all cell membranes, nerve and brain function. Must be gotten through the diet via cold water oceanic fish or some very limited plant sources or taken as a supplement. started earlier in life is much more likely to have large benefits for eyesight preservation.  This is similar to the idea of looking in the mirror at age 80 and wondering what you can do about your wrinkles.  It would have been a lot better to get started at an earlier age.  Since loss or serious reduction in eyesight has such a profound impact on quality of life this is yet another example of an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure.

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Excess maternal weight before and during pregnancy can result in larger babies

ScienceDaily (May 22, 2012) — Excess weight in pregnant women, both before pregnancy and gained during pregnancy, is the main predictor of whether mothers will have larger than average babies, which can result in increased risk of cesarean section or trauma during delivery, states a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

See Also:Health & MedicinePregnancy and ChildbirthDiet and Weight LossInfant's HealthDiabetesFitnessGynecologyReferenceBirth weightBlood sugarDiabetic dietStillbirth

Women with diabetes in pregnancy or gestational diabetes are at increased risk of having a large-for-gestational-age baby. Called macrosomia, it is defined as an infant whose weight is above the 90th percentile of Canadian fetal growth curves, or more than 4 kg. Current clinical practice focuses on managing glucose levels in women with these conditions to reduce the risk of having larger babies. Recent studies have shown a link between maternal glucose levels in women without gestational diabetes and the risk of having a larger baby.

Proposed new criteria suggest lowering the glucose levels for diagnosing gestational diabetes to help identify women who might be at risk of having a large-for-gestational-age baby.

To determine the effects of a variety of maternal factors such as obesity, glucose levels and lipid levels on infant birth weight, researchers from Mount Sinai Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), University of Toronto, and St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, conducted a study with 472 women -- 368 with normal glucose tolerance and 104 with impaired glucose tolerance.

They found that excess weight before pregnancy and the amount of weight gain during pregnancy were the strongest metabolic predictors of whether a woman would have a large-for-gestational-age baby. Elevated glucose levels had a relatively modest impact as did lipid levels.

"Gestational impaired glucose tolerance was not a significant independent predictor of having a large-for-gestational-age infant," writes Dr. Ravi Retnakaran, Mount Sinai Hospital, with coauthors. "Similarly, none of the lipid measures was independently associated with birth weight or large-for-gestational-age infant. These data suggest that maternal weight and its associated circulating factors have a greater impact on infant birth weight than do mild glucose intolerance and lipid levels in women without gestational diabetes."

"In the context of the current obesity epidemic, these data support the importance of targeting healthy body weight in young women as a strategy for reducing the risk of excessive fetal growth and infant macrosomia," conclude the authors. "Furthermore, these findings suggest that, in the care of overweight or obese women in pregnancy, closer monitoring of weight gain during pregnancy may be warranted."

In a related commentary, Dr. Edmond Ryan, University of Alberta, writes, "Recently proposed criteria

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Many Women Still Smoke During Pregnancy

HealthDay – 1 hr 34 mins ago THURSDAY, May 10 (HealthDay News) -- Too many American women still smoke during their pregnancies, a new report finds, and rates of such smoking vary widely depending on race.

Researchers found that almost 22 percent of pregnant white women aged 15 to 44 smoked cigarettes within the previous 30 days, compared with just over 14 percent of pregnant black women and 6.5 percent of Hispanic women in the same age range.

The rate of illicit drug use during pregnancy, however, was higher among black women (7.7 percent) than among white women (4.4 percent) or Hispanic women (about 3 percent), according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration study, released Wednesday.

Rates of alcohol use during pregnancy were about the same for black and white women (12.8 percent and 12.2 percent, respectively), and much higher than among Hispanic women (7.4 percent), according to the study.

The findings are based on an analysis of data from the administration's 2002 to 2010 national surveys on drug use and health.

"When pregnant women use alcohol, tobacco or illicit substances they are risking health problems for themselves and poor birth outcomes for their babies," Pamela Hyde, administrator at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, said in a government news release.

"Pregnant women of different races and ethnicities may have diverse patterns of substance abuse," Hyde said. "It is essential that we use the findings from this report to develop better ways of getting this key message out to every segment of our community so that no woman or child is endangered by substance use and abuse."

More information

The March of Dimes has more about the dangers of drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

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Curves Pinellas Park FL Will Participate in the Curves Give-Away of One Million 30-Day Memberships During National Women's Health Week May 13-19

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2012Curves is partnering with the Office of Women's Health to deliver information and programs to Pinellas Park women through a week long Open House with emphasis on the Inaugural National Curves Day May 17

Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (1888PressRelease) May 05, 2012 - Curves of Pinellas Park will give a free 30-day membership to any non-member who visits the club during regular operating hours throughout National Women's Health Week, May 13-19. This annual awareness week, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office on Women's Health (OWH), begins each year on Mother's Day and brings together communities, businesses, government, health organizations, and other groups in an effort to promote women's health. Curves International has partnered with the OWH to help promote National Women's Health Week and to provide health and wellness programs and materials to women throughout the country.

In further support of this partnership, Curves announces the inaugural National Curves Day celebration, which will occur annually on the Thursday of National Women's Health Week. Curves International aims to give away one million free 30-day memberships at participating Curves gyms throughout the United States and Canada during the week-long event. Any non-member who visits a participating Curves club during National Women's Health Week will be eligible for this free membership offer.

Curves of Pinellas Park will hold a week-long Open House event during National Women's Health Week to encourage interested women to check out the club, pick up free health information from Curves and the OWH, ask questions, get a free fitness assessment and take advantage of the "one million free 30-day memberships" offer. Visitors may also sign up to attend a special program on National Curves Day, Thursday, May 17, featuring messages from health experts and fun activities designed to raise awareness of small, practical steps women can take to get healthy.

"Everyone at Curves of Pinellas Park is excited about our new partnership with this influential government organization," said a Curves of Pinellas Park staff member. "This relationship confirms the value that the Curves program offers to women by promoting regular exercise, nutrition guidelines and community fitness events. We look forward to working with the OWH to offer our members and our community even more resources for living a healthy, active lifestyle."

The theme for the 13th annual National Women's Health Week is "It's Your Time." National Women's Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority. It also encourages women to take the following steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases: visit a health care professional to receive regular checkups and preventive screenings, get active, eat healthy, pay attention to mental health including getting enough sleep and managing stress. Avoid unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking and not wearing a seatbelt or helmet.

For more information about Curves of Pinellas Park, located at 5987 Park Blvd., National Curves Day and the Curves one million free 30-day memberships offer, contact a Curves of Pinellas Park staff member at 727-547-4727 or 97MURTJ (

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HIV Drug Tenofovir Safe During Pregnancy, Study Suggests

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Heroin Addicts Have Higher Pain Sensitivity, Even During Treatment

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Excessive weight gain during pregnancy a predictor for above-average birth weight

ScienceDaily (Apr. 17, 2012) — One out of every two women of reproductive age is overweight or obese. Researchers from the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, from the University of Ottawa (faculties of Medicine and Health Sciences) and from the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute set out to discover if overweight or obese women are in fact more likely to give birth to above average weight babies, as reported in the Journal of Maternal Fetal and Neonatal Medicine.

See Also:Health & MedicineObesityDiet and Weight LossPregnancy and ChildbirthInfant's HealthFitnessDiseases and ConditionsReferenceBody mass indexBirth weightNutrition and pregnancyOverweight

"Obesity can become part of an intergenerational cycle," said Dr. Kristi Adamo, co-author of this report and co-founder of the Healthy Active Living and Obesity (HALO) Research Group at the CHEO Research Institute. "Birth weight averages can be an indicator of the weight a child will carry through preschool and even into adulthood. It's critical for a mother to understand that her healthy eating and lifestyle decisions during pregnancy will impact much more than a nine-month gestation period."

To investigate this issue in more detail, Dr. Adamo and her colleagues examined data from more than 4,000 mother and baby pairs cared for at The Ottawa Hospital and the Kingston General Hospital between 2002 and 2009. They found that excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) can be just as problematic as pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity. In fact, the study indicated that independent of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), mothers who exceeded GWG recommendations specific to their pre-pregnancy BMI significantly increased the likelihood that their child would be born larger than average for gestational age (i.e. above the 90th percentile of infant weight for gestational age.)

"It doesn't matter if you're categorized as normal weight, overweight or obese during pre-pregnancy -- exceeding the 2009 Institute of Medicine GWG targets seems to have a growth promoting effect on the fetus," explained the co-author Zach Ferraro, a PhD student in Dr. Adamo's lab and in the Human Kinetics doctoral program at the University of Ottawa. He is co-supervised by Dr. Denis Prud'homme, co-author of this report and dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences. "Unfortunately, delivering a large baby increases the risk for many delivery-related complications in both mom and baby. But the takeaway here is that GWG is a modifiable risk factor that can and must be addressed during prenatal visits for all women!"

The data for this study was obtained from the Ottawa and Kingston (OaK) Birth Cohort, developed by Drs. Mark Walker, Shi Wu Wen and Marc Rodger of the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and the University of Ottawa. The study was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Ontario Women's Health Council, and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.

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Autism may be linked to obesity during pregnancy

Obesity during pregnancy may increase chances for having a child with autism, provocative new research suggests.

It's among the first studies linking the two, and though it doesn't prove obesity causes autism, the authors say their results raise public health concerns because of the high level of obesity in this country.

Study women who were obese during pregnancy were about 67 percent more likely than normal-weight women to have autistic children. They also faced double the risk of having children with other developmental delays.

On average, women face a 1 in 88 chance of having a child with autism; the results suggest that obesity during pregnancy would increase that to a 1 in 53 chance, the authors said.

The study was released online Monday in Pediatrics.

Since more than one-third of U.S. women of child-bearing age are obese, the results are potentially worrisome and add yet another incentive for maintaining a normal weight, said researcher Paula Krakowiak, a study co-author and scientist at the University of California, Davis.

Previous research has linked obesity during pregnancy with stillbirths, preterm births and some birth defects.

Dr. Daniel Coury, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, said the results "raise quite a concern."

He noted that U.S. autism rates have increased along with obesity rates and said the research suggests that may be more than a coincidence.

More research is needed to confirm the results. But if mothers' obesity is truly related to autism, it would be only one of many contributing factors, said Coury, who was not involved in the study.

Genetics has been linked to autism, and scientists are examining whether mothers' illnesses and use of certain medicines during pregnancy might also play a role.

The study involved about 1,000 California children, ages 2 to 5. Nearly 700 had autism or other developmental delays, and 315 did not have those problems.

Mothers were asked about their health. Medical records were available for more than half the women and confirmed their conditions. It's not clear how mothers' obesity might affect fetal development, but the authors offer some theories.

Obesity, generally about 35 pounds overweight, is linked with inflammation and sometimes elevated levels of blood sugar. Excess blood sugar and inflammation-related substances in a mother's blood may reach the fetus and damage the developing brain, Krakowiak said.

The study lacks information on blood tests during pregnancy. There's also no information on women's diets and other habits during pregnancy that might have influenced fetal development.

There were no racial, ethnic, education or health insurance differences among mothers of autistic kids and those with unaffected children that might have influenced the results, the researchers said.

The National Institutes of Health helped pay for the study.

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