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Expectant moms who eat foods rich in sugar and fats may be putting their children at risk to become junk food addicts.
In a study involving laboratory animal, Australian researchers found that when mothers eat junk food during pregnancy, it can cause changes in the signaling pathways of the unborn child’s brain.
Those changes can result in children being born with a higher tolerance for junk food, and the need to eat more of it to achieve a “feel good” response in the brain.
The researchers say they hope their findings encourage mothers to make healthier diet choices.
