Overweight Babies On The Increase: Over 1,400 Newborns Classified As Obese In Last Four Years

Childhood obesity concerns have been doing the rounds for years, with the government and celebrities such as Jamie Oliver raising awareness of the issues.

But worryingly it now seems like the weight issue starts even earlier – in the womb.

Pregnant women who are overweight or obese themselves are giving birth to babies much larger than the national average (7lb 8oz for boys and 7lb 4oz for girls), causing numerous health issues from the word go.

A landmark report has found that over 1,400 babies have been born clinically obese (9lb 15oz or more) since 2011. Obese newborns are at risk of stillbirth, birth defects and a higher chance of health problems later in life, including diabetes.

The report, conducted by The Sunday Mirror also showed there’s been an increase in the number of babies weighing 12lb or more. Yep, that’s almost a stone each.

“Quite simply, the number of pregnant women who are obese at the start is increasing,” says Tam Fry, from the National Obesity Forum.

“It is thought that 82 per cent of children who are obese will continue to be overweight. As they have the same kind of nutrition as their parents there is a continuous upwards spiral.”

Fry suggests that obese babies are partly to blame for the increase in women having C-sections, too.

“Some babies are so fat they cannot come out naturally. Women have to understand that thye have to keep themselves in shape due to the huge responsibility they have of producing the next generation,” he says.

Maintaining A Healthy Weight During Pregnancy

The NHS advises against women ‘eating for two’ and says they only need an extra 200 calories per day in the third trimester of pregnancy.

So sadly growing a baby isn’t as an excuse to devour that extra-large bar of Cadbury’s…

It’s thought that around 15-20 per cent of pregnant women are now classified as obese, which is defined as having a body mass index of more than 30.

Being obese during pregnancy isn’t just dangerous for the women and the baby, it’s expensive for the NHS.

But it can be avoided by following a healthy diet and a gentle fitness regime.

Plenty of exercise methods are also safe during pregnancy, so there’s no need for women to put away their trainers for nine months.

Contact sports should be avoided, but gentle jogging, swimming, yoga and pilates are just some examples of exercise recommended for mums-to-be. Do check with your midwife or GP before getting going on your pregnancy exercise regime, though.

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