Nutrition during pregnancy Latvia eng

 

2.  

Metabolic  programming  

NCDs,   including   obesity,   type   II   diabetes   and   cardiovascular   diseases,   have   reached   epidemic  

proportions  worldwide  and  have  become  the  principal  cause  of  mortality  and  disability.  A  poor,  

unbalanced   maternal   diet   and   micronutrient   deficiencies   may   result   in   undernutrition   or  

overnutrition  of  the  unborn  child.  The  concept  of  “nutrition”  includes  the  BMI,  the  body  build,  

the  food  consumed  and  the  individual’s  clinical  status,  reflecting  whether  the  body  is  supplied  

with  the  nutrients  required  for  its  needs.    

The   fetus   modifies   its   metabolism   to   support   its   body   functions.   These   changes   may   be  

irreversible   and   possibly   entail   altered   metabolic   homeostasis   and   an   improperly   functioning  

endocrine  system  after  birth,  which  increases  the  child’s  susceptibility  to  NCDs  in  later  life.  Lack  

of   balance   between   the   physiological   needs   of   the   body   and   the   actual   energy   and   nutrient  

uptake   before,   during   and   immediately   after   pregnancy   may   accelerate   the   child’s   early  

development,   which   in   turn   can   increase   the   child’s   risks   for   obesity   and   NCDs.   Evidence  

suggests   that   the   obesity   epidemic   might   be   attributable   to   inadequate   nutrition   of   unborn  

children   during   the   antenatal

 

period   (undernutrition   or   overnutrition),   followed   by   a   poor,  

unbalanced  diet  high  in  fat,  salt  and  sugar  later  in  life.  

Fig.   4   illustrates   the   metabolic   factors   that   are   altered   in   metabolic   programming   and   the  

possible  triggering  mechanisms.