We are constantly being reminded of the benefits of eating oily fish, from our IQ to our eye health, but it seems we may want to be cautious when it comes to consuming a lot of fish while expecting.

 

According to a new international study, carried out among pregnant women across the US and Europe, eating an excessive amount of fish while pregnant can increase your unborn child’s risk of becoming obese.

 

The study, published this week in the JAMA Paediatrics journal, reiterated a previous finding by the Food and Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency: that pregnant women should not consume more than two to three servings of fish a week.

 

The research showed that the children of women who ate more than the recommended three servings of fish per week while pregnant were more likely to be overweight or obese by age four or six, in comparison to those of mothers who ate little to no fish. The risk was found to be higher among female children.

 

As part of the research, the team examined data from over 26,000 pregnant women and their children, born between 1996 and 2011, across the US and Europe. They proceeded to look at the children’s growth and weight patterns up to six years of age.

 

 

The researchers also gave the mothers questionnaires to fill out. In these questionnaires, the mothers were asked to describe their pregnancy food habits and record their fish intake, from half a serving to seven servings in a week.

 

Analysis showed that children born to women with the highest level of fish consumption while pregnant were up to five times more likely (22%) to be overweight or obese than those whose mothers consumed little to no fish.

 

Researchers suggested that this increased risk may come down to how fish affect the unborn child’s cells, with pollutants found in the fish possibly disrupting hormones relating to metabolism.

 

The next phase of research is to figure out why female children are more affected than their male counterparts.

 

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