A study published in PLOS ONE has found that male offspring benefit more than females from the positive effects of exercise during pregnancy. A University of NSW team led by Prof Margaret Morris examined whether the detrimental effects of maternal obesity on offspring could be reduced by the mother's voluntary exercise prior to and during pregnancy. "We hypothesised that voluntary exercise during pregnancy would have beneficial effects on glucose levels and metabolism," Morris said. Female rats were fed a high-fat diet, including pies, cakes, dim sims and biscuits, for 6 weeks before mating and throughout gestation and lactation. Half underwent voluntary exercise from 10 days prior to mating until their offspring were delivered, while others remained sedentary. The expression of genes related to glucose, metabolism and inflammation in fat and muscle tissue were then measured 19 days after birth.
展开▼
