Based on studies in mice and human tissues, the researchers found that a high-fat diet during pregnancy may increase the susceptibility of offspring, especially male offspring, to neurological disorders by disrupting communication between the placenta and the fetal brain, according to the latest report.

According to the paper, previous studies have found that obesity during pregnancy is associated with metabolic changes in offspring, and may increase the offspring's susceptibility to neurological diseases, such as anxiety and depression.

Although previous studies have pointed to a sex bias in the emergence of these disorders, few studies have explored the mechanisms behind these behavioral changes, especially at a sex-specific level.

The paper's corresponding author, Staci Bilbo of Duke University in the United States, and collaborators compared how the diet of mice during pregnancy affected male and female offspring.

By analyzing fetal brain and placental tissue, as well as behavioral indicators of mouse offspring, such as communication, response to social stimuli, and behaviors such as seeking rewards such as sugar water.

They found that male mice born to mothers fed a high-fat diet had reduced serotonin availability in their brains. Further research found that this persisted into adulthood and may also lead to behavioral changes in male mice, such as a reduced preference for sugar water, an indicator of a lack of rewarding behavior.

In addition to studying mice, the authors also compared the human fetal brain and placental tissue and found that higher blood lipids (a surrogate measure of dietary fat content) in pregnant women were associated with lower serotonin levels in the brains of human male fetuses and mouse male fetuses.

The authors believe their findings may describe a previously unknown mechanism by which diet during pregnancy affects the behavioral characteristics of offspring in male mice.

They also caution that further research is needed to understand the full impact of this mechanism, as well as the influence of the maternal environment on the development of neurological disease.

Low-fat diet during pregnancy

1. Cereal

Oatmeal can not only keep you energetic all morning but also reduce the level of cholesterol in the body. Avoid sweetened, highly processed cereals. It is best to choose natural, without any sugar or other added ingredients in it. You can add some nuts, raisins, or honey to the cooked porridge according to your own taste and preference.

2. Skim milk

When pregnant, you need to absorb about twice as much calcium from food as usual. Calcium is limited in most foods, so drinking more skim milk during pregnancy is your choice. Pregnant women should take in about 1000 mg of calcium every day, as long as 3 cups of skimmed milk (200 grams) can meet this demand.

3. Graham Crackers

There are so many uses for this little snack. You can chew it on the bed in the morning, which can effectively relieve morning sickness. A few bucks in the car on the way to work can help kill boredom. When you suddenly have the desire to eat in the office, it will be by your side, convenient and unobtrusive.

It's a real mini food and keeps your blood sugar level in stable condition and your energy levels up throughout the day.