Parents’ lives during their adolescence influence the health and good development of children, according to results of a study published in the medical journal Nature.
Address health issues such asobesity, mental health, malnutrition and addiction among young people before they become parents is essential for a better possible start for their future children. Take action once a woman is pregnant is often too late.
Researchers at the University of Melbourne in Australia studied medical data from more than 200 countries to study the impact of parental lives on the health of unborn children. Three lines of research have been put forward: mental health, L’obesity and drug addiction.
Take charge of health problems from adolescence
The results of the study showed that the maternal depression during pregnancy can affect the development of the baby before birth and the mother-child bond after birth. L’obesity maternal during pregnancy predicts a childhood obesity later, poorer cognitive skills and greater behavioral disturbances in children.
Regular consumption of tobacco, ofalcohol, of cannabis and other illicit drugs during pregnancy interfere with the growth and development of infants.
However, all these disorders are most often defined during adolescence.
“Some risks to children like obesity and parental depression require a long-term approach. As obesity, mental health problems and substance abuse have become common among young adults, prevention can adolescence will be essential, ”explained Professor George Patton, author of the study.
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