Its looks like pregnant women will no longer have the excuses of eating for two, studies have been carried out and have concluded that pilling on extra weight during pregnancy could lead to complications. The advice given out is for pregnant women to maintain a healthy diet.
To find out more on this study the following extract was taken from NHS.uk
Dieting During Pregnancy To Maintain A Healthy Weight Is Safe
“Dieting in pregnancy is good for you,” according to The Independent, while the Daily Mail has warned pregnant women not to eat for two since “piling on the pounds during pregnancy” increases the risk of complications.
Both these news stories are based on a study that compared ways to manage weight during pregnancy, but did not tell women to diet or look at the effects of overeating, as the headlines implied. Instead, the research reviewed previous studies to look at how diet, exercise or a combination of the two affected maternal weight gain and the risk of health problems for babies. In particular, it found that compared to other interventions such as exercise, following a diet plan (not a weight-loss diet) during pregnancy was more effective at reducing the amount of weight mothers gained. This had no adverse effect on the baby and reduced the risk of pre-eclampsia, diabetes, high blood pressure and premature birth.
This large study comes in the wake of concerns about the growing problem of obesity in pregnancy, which can cause serious problems for the mother and is a risk factor for later obesity in the child. It has found that dieting during pregnancy to maintain a healthy weight is safe, effective and has no effect on the baby’s birth weight, a factor which many woman worry about.
Currently, pregnant women are advised not to “eat for two” or reduce their calories, but to follow a healthy, varied diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables and a minimal intake of foods that are high in fat and sugar. Women who suspect they are overweight or obese are advised to talk to a dietitian, who will help them with a weight management programme. Original article here.
It’s so easily done, over eating whilst being pregnant, and I guess the silly cravings that women get don’t help either. I remember during my 1st pregnancy I was craving mint chocolate chip ice-cream but believe it not I somehow magically lost ½ stone during that pregnancy compared to my second, where I had no cravings but piled on 2 stone. Looking back now I was using the excuse eating for two.
Slimming world is one of the few diets I know off that has been endorsed by midwifes as safe for pregnant women to follow and maintain a healthy weight. For me slimming world is not a diet by more of a healthy eating plan which I think most people will agree with.
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