Junk Food Linked to Preterm Birth Risk, Study

Maternal eating habits before pregnancy also have a strong influence on birth outcomes. Following a diet high in fat and sugar can increase the risk of preterm birth, a new study says.

Researchers at the University of Adelaide’s Robinson Research Institute looked at the dietary habits of 300 Aussie women in the year before their pregnancy. Lead author of the study, Dr. Jessica Grieger, said a motivator to conduct the study was the fact that 1 in 10 births globally are premature, and that premature birth is a leading cause of both illnesses and death in babies.

The results, she said, were clear that diets with a larger amount of “discretionary” foods, foods high in sugars and fats, were more likely to lead to a premature birth. The babies of those moms who ate healthier foods leading up to conception were far less likely to be born premature.

Agencies/Canadajournal

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