Junk Food During Pregnancy Makes a Junk Food Junkie Offspring?

A fairly recently published study suggests that when women eat junk food during pregnancy, their babies are at risk for being addicted to junk food during their lives.

IF this, and other related studies end up showing a strong correlation between junk food in pregnancy and junk food addiction in the baby, and later child, then adult, then I would expect physicians would provide this information to their pregnant patients.  After all, the infant's health is impacted throughout it's lifespan.  Women would want to know the risks of eating junk food during pregnancy, right?

Wait a minute!  We can't give them this information, even if years of studies and countless findings could reinforce such a connection!  Why?  IT MIGHT MAKE THE MOTHERS FEEL GUILTY IF THEY DECIDE TO EAT JUNK FOOD DURING THEIR PREGNANCY!

However -- and I repeat, IF this association proves to be accurate over time -- if physicians and other health care workers routinely tell their patients about such a risk, and openly encourage healthful eating during pregnancy, then a double standard of double standards would exist.

How?  Because we have years of research and countless studies addressing the risks of formula feeding, yet most OBs and health care providers will not detail those risks.  They are concerned about making women feel guilty.

Another reason physicians would probably talk honestly and openly about good nutrition in pregnancy and this danger of eating junk food, is that there would not be any junk food companies providing literature on healthful eating.  They would not be providing free samples of their products to OB offices and hospital to be given to expectant women.  Unfortunately, we have had formula companies doing this for decades.  

Formula companies have been marketing themselves to be the experts in infant nutrition.  They will sponsor conference speakers who do not even mention formula in their presentations.  They may even cite information that puts breastfeeding in a better light than formula.  The companies are willing to do this to maintain the illusion that they are the experts to whom physicians and hospitals should turn to provide education for their patients.  Then, they can get slanted, and even inaccurate information into the hands of less informed women.  They can even gather information in order to provide free formula, coupons, and other gifts to ensnare the mothers who are having trouble breastfeeding.  The benefits of capturing these customers outweighs the occasional "dissing" of formula.  And most health care providers fall for this plan.

Women should be given information on the risks of any lesser form of nutrition for themselves, their unborn, their newborns, their babies, and their young children.  That information should not come from the companies which promote the inferior food.  It should be based on sound research, not potential for profits.  

Will some women feel guilty if they eat junk food during pregnancy?  Yes.  Do some women feel guilty for formula feeding?  You bet.  Do some women feel bad because they can not breastfeed, even though they fought hard to do so?  Of course!  Does this make any of them "bad" mothers?  No it does not.  We all have to live with our choices, or with the circumstances we face, including those wish did not exist. 

Here is the link to the study on the possible effects of eating junk food during pregnancy, if you care to take a look.  I think more study is in order, so I am not going to strongly advocate for eating only healthful good during pregnancy . . . yet.

http://www.fasebj.org/content/27/3/1275.abstract

Of course we are aware that healthful food is the norm for good health for mom and the developing baby.  I am not going to say that "there are benefits for eating healthful food during pregnancy."  It is the standard.  If the time comes that this link between eating junk food and having junk food addicted kids is confirmed, then I will talk about "the risks of eating junk food during pregnancy" -- just like we should be talking about the risks of the unnatural infant food, formula.

Photos courtesy of The Alpha Parent and Unlatched.  Used with permission.

Now, excuse me while I go look for a snack.  Hopefully it will be healthful.  But, if the potato chips call my name, I may feel a little guilty while I enjoy the crunchy, salty, unhealthful pleasure.  At least for now, my choice is informed and it is mine to make.