Expert Commentary: Daniel Davis, DO, FACS

Exercise during pregnancy has been shown to be of benefit for mother and baby. What we do know as well is that obesity during pregnancy has a negative effect on the fetus. We also know that a child with an obese mother has a 75% risk to become obese themselves.

Also, children whose mother is obese during pregnancy has a greater risk for developing diabetes, along with the possibility of passing it along to the unborn child. While there are genetic causes for childhood obesity, overall these are rare. The majority of obesity in childhood is due to the environment they grow up in.

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