The researchers say that adult offspring of women who were overweight or obese during pregnancy have a higher risk of developing colon cancer, compared to those whose mothers were underweight or normal weight.
“Given the population’s trends in maternal obesity, which has increased almost sixfold since 1960, it is possible to see more and more cases. [de cancer de colon] in the coming decades “, writes the team.
U.S. researchers told Gut magazine they analyzed data collected from women who received prenatal care between 1959 and 1966 in Oakland, California, with information from their medical records six months before they became pregnant. The team then tracked the health of more than 18,000 offspring by 2019, examining cases of colon cancer once they became adults, according to The Guardian.
The results show that 68 of the children developed colon cancer once they became adults, half of the diagnoses being made before they reached the age of 50. About 20% of those who developed colon cancer had a family history.
Obesity increases the risk of colon cancer, causing about 11% of cases, according to Cancer Research UK. The US research team says the study suggests that influences in the uterus may play an important role when it comes to the risk of developing colon cancer. Nutrients received in the womb can lead to lasting changes in the regulation of appetite, metabolism and the structure and function of body fat in children.
“If the findings are confirmed, they would help solve a major problem, supporting potential parents to have a healthy weight before conceiving a child.”, said Keith Godfrey, a professor of epidemiology and human development at the University of Southampton who was not involved in the study.
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