News

​​​NICHD issues News Releases and Media Advisories to the news media. Spotlight and Research Feature articles explain NICHD research findings and public health issues to the general public. An Item of Interest is a short announcement of relevant information, such as a notable staff change.

Science Update: Mouse study links exercise during pregnancy to lower risk of obesity in offspring

Exercise during pregnancy stimulates fetal production of brown fat, which boosts metabolism and burns calories, even after birth, suggests a mouse study funded by the National Institutes of Health. When fed a high-fat diet, mice born to mothers who exercised had less weight gain than mice whose mothers did not exercise.

Science Update: Fetal weight gain may begin long before gestational diabetes is commonly diagnosed

The excess body fat seen in infants born to women with gestational, or pregnancy-related, diabetes is associated with higher maternal blood sugar levels as early as the 10th week of pregnancy—long before the time when women are usually screened for the condition, according to a study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health. Moreover, weight gain in the fetuses of women with gestational diabetes first becomes apparent in the 28th week of pregnancy, when many women are first tested for the condition.

Media Advisory: Maternal obesity linked to ADHD and behavioral problems in children, NIH study suggests

Maternal obesity may increase a child’s risk for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to an analysis by NICHD researchers.

Spotlight: Selected NICHD Research Advances of 2019

Read about NICHD’s notable research findings and activities from 2019.

Spotlight: Healthy Pregnancy for Every Body

NICHD’s new initiative—Pregnancy for Every Body—educates plus-size pregnant women about healthy pregnancy and the importance of working with a healthcare provider to develop a pregnancy plan.

Media Advisory: High lead levels during pregnancy linked to child obesity, NIH-funded study suggests

Children born to women who have high blood levels of lead are more likely be overweight or obese, compared to those whose mothers have low levels of lead in their blood, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health and Health Resources and Services Administration.

Media Advisory: NIH-funded study suggests teen girl ‘night owls’ may be more likely to gain weight

Teen girls—but not boys—who prefer to go to bed later are more likely to gain weight, compared to same-age girls who go to bed earlier, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Science Update: High genetic risk score for cholesterol might predict fetal weight, NIH study suggests

A high genetic risk score for cholesterol and other blood lipids among pregnant women is linked to fetal weight, but varies according to the mother’s racial and ethnic group and obesity status, suggests an analysis by researchers at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Media Advisory: Guidelines for introducing solid foods to infants may lead to unhealthy weight

NIH-supported research calls for well-defined standards for infants between 6 months and 1 year

Science Update: NIH study links high maternal genetic risk of obesity to variations in fetal weight

A high genetic risk of obesity among pregnant women is linked to fetal weight, but varies according to race, fetal sex, and other factors, according to a study by researchers at the NICHD.

Media Advisory: Being teased about weight linked to more weight gain among children, NIH study suggests

Youth who said they were teased or ridiculed about their weight increased their body mass by 33 percent more each year, compared to a similar group who had not been teased, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Spotlight: Maternal Health Research Advances

NICHD was established more than 50 years ago to help understand maternal health and improve pregnancy outcomes. These selected advances highlight NICHD’s contributions to advancing the health and well-being of pregnant women, mothers, and families everywhere.

Media Advisory: Gout treatment may help prevent obesity-related type 2 diabetes, suggests small NIH study

The drug colchicine, used to treat the arthritic condition gout, could potentially reduce complications accompanying metabolic syndrome, a combination of high blood pressure, high blood sugar and other conditions that increase the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health.

Media Advisory: NIH to Host Community Engagement Forum on Improving Maternal Health

On April 8, 2019, join community organizations and healthcare professionals to discuss strategies for reducing the rising rate of maternal deaths in the United States.

Spotlight: Food for Health: Nutrition Research across the Lifespan

Nutrition is vital to health, growth, and development through all stages of life. Poor nutrition causes health problems and can contribute to heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, cancer, and other diseases. NIH recently released a draft of its first-ever Strategic Plan for NIH Nutrition Research to focus efforts in advancing the scientific understanding of interactions between diet, nutritional status, biological processes, and the environment.

Science Update: NIH-funded mouse study links weight gain in pregnancy to obesity in later life

Excessive weight gain during pregnancy could permanently slow metabolism and lead to weight gain in later life, according to the results of a mouse study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Science Update: NICHD-supported study explores inherited and environmental influences on gene activity

Findings from a study on twins may help explain factors that activate or silence genes.

News Release: Obesity during pregnancy may lead directly to fetal overgrowth, NIH study suggests

Obesity during pregnancy—independent of its health consequences such as diabetes—may account for the higher risk of giving birth to an atypically large infant.

Pregnancy diet high in refined grains could increase child obesity risk by age 7, NIH study suggests

Children born to women with gestational diabetes whose diet included high proportions of refined grains may have a higher risk of obesity by age 7, compared to children born to women with gestational diabetes who ate low proportions of refined grains, according to results from a National Institutes of Health study.

Drinking diet beverages during pregnancy linked to child obesity, NIH study suggests

Children born to women who had gestational diabetes and drank at least one artificially sweetened beverage per day during pregnancy were more likely to be overweight or obese at age 7, compared to children born to women who had gestational diabetes and drank water instead of artificially sweetened beverages, according to a study led by researchers at the National Institutes of Health.
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