Women having weight-loss surgery before pregnancy could work as a form of obesity treatment for their children, according to a new study.
The research, co-authored by Dr John Kral from the State University of New York (SUNY), Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, suggests that the surgery could help as the problem can be transmitted down to children from their obese mothers.
Dr Kral noted that the report, set to be published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, supports previous studies which claim that the intrauterine environment may be more influential than post-natal factors or genes.
He said: "Any medical or surgical treatment to reduce obesity and existing metabolic disorders before pregnancy can be an investment in the life of future offspring."
Researchers looked at 49 women who had had children born before and after weight-loss surgery to see what differences existed.
The Downstate Medical Center is one of four SUNY academic facilities.