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Obesity before birth

A mother's diet during pregnancy can strongly influence her child's risk of obesity many years later, according to new research.

An international study led by the University of Southampton found thatwhat an expectant mother eats can alter the DNA of her child in aprocess called epigenetic change, which can lead to her child tending tolay down more fat. The study of 300 children, which is to be publishedin the journal Diabetes, found that this effect can occur independentlyof how fat or thin the mother is or what the child weighs at birth.

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