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The animal experiments showed that offspring of rats that ate high-fat or high-sugar diets while pregnant weighed more as adults, drank more alcohol, and also had stronger responses to commonly abused drugs.
The majority of women int he U.S. at child-bearing age are overweight, most likely due to overeating. Because of the rising prenatal and childhood obesity and the rise in number of youths abusing alcohol and drugs, Nicole Avena, a research neuroscientist at the University of Florida, supports looking into all the possible causes of these problems.
This phenomenon is likely due to how overeating foods that taste good alters brain reward systems while diets with excessive fat and sugar can lead to increased appetite as well as some addiction-like behaviors.
In related news, another research study saw a bump in substance abuse treatment during pregnancy. Treatment is crucial since “any kind of substance use by pregnant women can result in miscarriage, premature birth or a variety of behavioral and cognitive problems in the children they carry,” SAMHSA administrator Pamela Hyde said.
SAMHSA, the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, has a Services Grant Program for Residential Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women which promotes the availability of substance abuse treatment, prevention and recovery support programs for low-income women and their young children.
Click the image below to visit the SAMHSA website to learn more.
