Obesity Prevention During Pregnancy

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Perinatal obesity prevention (word formation from the Greek Περί , around ... 'and Latin natalis ,' belonging to the birth '; ie concerning the period around the due date, and from prevention from the Latin praevenire ' to anticipate ') comprises measures and behaviors to avoid Obesity during pregnancy . This prevention can have a positive influence on the health of the mother and the health development of the child and can prevent diseases.

Obesity and pregnancy

The prevalence of overweight among pregnant women in Germany has increased significantly over the past three decades; around a third of all pregnant women are overweight.

Obesity in the mother before and during pregnancy can lead to complications during pregnancy and childbirth (e.g. gestational diabetes , preeclampsia , macrosomia , shoulder dystocia , malformations , higher rates of caesarean sections and infections ) and also postnatally (after birth) represent an increased risk of developing obesity and complications for the child. According to the findings of the relatively young research field of "perinatal programming", both maternal obesity and non-optimal nutrition of the baby after birth have a long-term effect on the child's metabolism and lead to a change in metabolic programming (imprinting), which increases the risk of chronic Illnesses such as obesity and the associated consequences increased.

In addition to being overweight in the mother before and during pregnancy, smoking and excessive weight gain during pregnancy, too high or too low a birth weight, lack of or only short breastfeeding and excessive weight gain in infancy and in the second year of life are among the predisposing factors for later obesity.

In various studies, preventive factors that can counteract these metabolic changes in the (unborn) child have been identified. Moderate exercise, a balanced diet and a reduction in the mother's (“preconceptional”) body mass index (BMI) are important prevention factors. More recent scientific studies also show a strong preventive effect of breastfeeding and a reduced intake of animal proteins on the later development of overweight and obesity .

These findings result in a high potential for perinatal obesity prevention, which, against the background of early childhood, is still little considered and used in the planning and implementation of prevention and health promotion measures in Germany.

Current research

The high prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents and the associated secondary diseases and enormous cost burdens for the health system make preventive and health-promoting measures necessary. Studies show that expectant mothers and young parents are particularly motivated to develop or strengthen health-promoting behavior. This target group can be easily reached due to the intensive medical care provided during pregnancy and early parental leave as part of the statutory medical check- ups.

The Platform Nutrition and Exercise eV (peb) hosted the symposium "Perinatal Prevention of Obesity - Expectant and Young Parents as." At the joint conference of the German Diabetes Society (DDG) and the German Obesity Society (DAG) on November 5, 2010 Target group for health promotion and prevention ”. Preventive factors such as diet and exercise were highlighted and the need for perinatal preventive measures and research in this area were made clear.

In this context, the European “Early Nutrition Programming Project” (EARNEST) was presented by Berthold Koletzko . The world's largest research network for programming long-term health through early nutrition, funded by the European Commission, deals, among other things, with issues relating to the relationship between early childhood nutrition and rapid postnatal weight gain on later body fat deposition, obesity , diabetes , blood pressure , cardiovascular diseases and asthma .

With the “peb study for young parents”, the Platform Nutrition and Exercise eV examined the factors influencing the nutritional and physical activity behavior of young families in the early phase of childhood and highlighted the background to attitudes, lifestyle, health awareness, nutrition and physical activity behavior as well as parenting behavior. From this investigation further points of contact for the practice of perinatal prevention emerge. For example, gynecologists, midwives and paediatricians were identified as the most important people to trust during pregnancy for expectant and young parents.

The project "Healthy in Life - Young Family Network" of the Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) as part of the action plan "IN FORM - Germany's Initiative for Healthy Eating and More Exercise" and the National Action Plan against Allergies gives young families recommendations for action for healthy eating habits and allergy prevention measures.

Prevention programs are often limited to nutritional aspects and neglect the focus on interrelated multifactors such as lack of exercise, stress and addictive substance consumption, which have a significant influence on weight development. In addition to the nutritional aspect, prevention programs should also incorporate findings from the preventive effects of exercise, breastfeeding and avoidance of addictive substances and can thus have a lasting positive effect on the health of mother and child during the perinatal period. This also means that the target group of women of childbearing age as well as young parents and couples who want to have children are becoming the focus of prevention and health promotion. An intensive network of important contacts (midwives, gynecologists, paediatricians and adolescents) during this period can improve the flow of information regarding healthy nutrition and exercise during pregnancy and contribute to a healthy lifestyle for parents and children.

Professional societies

  • German Obesity Society, DAG
  • German Diabetes Society, DDG
  • German Nutrition Society, DGE eV
  • German Society for Interdisciplinary Preventive Medicine, DeGIP eV
  • German Society for Nutrient Medicine and Prevention, DGNP eV
  • German Society for Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, DGKJ
  • German Society for Sports Medicine and Prevention (Deutscher Sportärztebund) eV (DGSP)
  • Federal Association of German Nutritionists eV (BDEM)

Individual evidence

  1. ^ W. Pschyrembel: Pschyrembel Clinical Dictionary. 258., revised. Edition. de Gruyter, Berlin a. a. 1998, ISBN 3-11-014824-2 .
  2. ↑ a b c A. Plagemann, J. Dudenhausen (Ed.): Obesity as a risk in perinatal medicine. Springer, Munich 2010.
  3. ↑ L. Gortner: Obesity Pregnancy Risk - Consequences for the Newborn. In: A. Plagemann, J. Dudenhausen (Ed.): Obesity as a risk in perinatal medicine. Springer, Munich 2010, pp. 62–72.
  4. ↑ a b c T. Harder, E. Rodekamp, ​​K. Schellong, JW Dudenhausen, A. Plagemann: Obesity and perinatal programming. In: A. Plagemann, J. Dudenhausen (Ed.): Obesity as a risk in perinatal medicine. Springer, Munich 2010, pp. 72–81.
  5. ↑ M. Wabitsch: Maternal obesity: consequences for the newborn? In: A. Plagemann, J. Dudenhausen (Ed.): Obesity as a risk in perinatal medicine. Springer, Munich 2010, pp. 9-16.
  6. ↑ H. Hauner: Nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding if the mother is overweight. In: A. Plagemann, J. Dudenhausen (Ed.): Obesity as a risk in perinatal medicine. Springer, Munich 2010, pp. 92-101.
  7. ↑ a b B. Koletzko, V. Grote, S. Schiess, S. Verwied-Jorky, B. Brands, H. Demmelmair, R. von Kries: Prevention of childhood obesity through infant feeding . In: Monthly Children's Health. 158, 2010, pp. 553-563.
  8. ↑ H. Hauner: Nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding if the mother is overweight. In: A. Plagemann, J. Dudenhausen (Ed.): Obesity as a risk in perinatal medicine. Springer, Munich 2010, pp. 92-101.
  9. ↑ a b U. Korsten-Reck: Exercise during pregnancy and breastfeeding if the mother is overweight. In: A. Plagemann, J. Dudenhausen (Ed.): Obesity as a risk in perinatal medicine. Springer, Munich 2010, pp. 102–119.
  10. ^ Robert Koch Institute: Contributions to the health reporting of the federal government. Life-specific health of children and adolescents in Germany. Results of the national child and health survey (KiGGS). Berlin 2008.
  11. ↑ a b B. Koletzko: EARNEST - the Early Nutrition Programming Project - Objectives and Achievements. In: Standardy Medyczne. (Warsaw) Suppl. 1, 2009, pp. 1-16. http://www.early-nutrition.org/
  12. ↑ platform nutrition and exercise e. V. (peb): Archive link ( Memento from August 3, 2004 in the Internet Archive ) Symposium “Perinatal Prevention of Obesity”: http://www.ernaehrung-und-bewegung.de/442/?no_cache=1&sword_list%5B%5D = Symposium
  13. ↑ National action plan: "IN FORM - Germany's initiative for healthy eating and more exercise" - http://www.in-form.de/
  14. ↑ “Healthy in Life - Young Family Network” - http://www.gesund-ins-leben.de/