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Children of Obese Parents at Risk of Developmental Delays

  • January 04, 2017

Obesity takes a devastating toll on your health. It can also have a ripple effect that can hinder your child’s development. This damage is not only linked to maternal obesity. According to CNN, an overweight father can negatively impact the health of his child.

Studies have shown that sperm can carry the memory of a father’s environment and lifestyle patterns to an embryo; nutritional deficiencies of the father can significantly increase a baby’s risk of birth defects. This threat crosses generational lines. Children and grandchildren of obese fathers can inherit obesity and metabolic problems, even when they eat healthfully.

Children of overweight or obese mothers are more likely to have children predisposed to obesity; the heavier the mom is, the more significant the effect. With these troubling facts in mind, it is no surprise that the number of overweight and obese adults in the developing world has nearly quadrupled since 1980 and now exceeds 1 billion.

We now know that your genes are malleable and shaped by your environment, thoughts and emotions. Epigenetic traits can be passed on to your children, and even to subsequent generations. Fortunately, each person has the power to alter their genetic expression based on lifestyle choices.

The obvious solution is to optimize your diet. It can be daunting to navigate the vast amount of dietary information and misinformation that is available online. It is for this reason that I created a convenient and informative nutrition plan.

The first step to a healthier diet is to jettison all processed foods from your diet. The convenience and perceived value they provide is entirely illusory. Instead, consume exclusively nourishing whole foods and plenty of healthy fats. Taking control of your health is a transformational journey that starts with a healthy diet.