Childhood obesity, rapid growth linked to pregnant moms eating lots of fish

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-02/tjnj-cor021116.php

Public Release: 15-Feb-2016
Childhood obesity, rapid growth linked to pregnant moms eating lots of fish
The JAMA Network Journals

Eating fish more than three times a week during pregnancy was associated with mothers giving birth to babies at increased risk of rapid growth in infancy and of childhood obesity, according to an article published online by JAMA Pediatrics.

Fish is a common source of human exposure to persistent organic pollutants, which may exert endocrine-disrupting properties and contribute to the development of obesity. In 2014, the U.S Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency encouraged women who are pregnant, breastfeeding or likely to become pregnant to consume no more than three servings of fish per week to limit fetal exposure to methyl-mercury. There is no clear answer about the optimal amount and type of fish intake during pregnancy with regard to child growth and development.

Leda Chatzi, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Crete, Greece, and coauthors analyzed data from 26,184 pregnant women and their children in European and U.S studies to examine associations with maternal fish intake and childhood growth and overweight/obesity. Children were followed-up until the age of 6.

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