The amount of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that a mother consumes while pregnant may have a lasting impact on the food consumption of offspring.
In a new study in the journal “Communications Biology”, researchers provided mice with diets that contained varying levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. In the mice that were fed a diet with low omega-3’s and relatively higher omega-6’s, the offspring displayed a greater hedonic drive towards caloric consumption.
These effects appeared to be due to an increased mesolimbic dopamine release in the midbrain in response to highly palatable foods. The researchers determined that this was due to the diet’s influence on dopaminergic neurogenesis during embryogenesis.
Conclusions
The foods that mothers choose to eat while pregnant may lead to lasting impacts on the dietary patterns of their children.
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