Researchers at our University are conducting pioneering research into the effect of nutrition before and during pregnancy on childhood obesity.

Around one third of children between the ages of two and 15 are overweight, and this figure is rising as younger generations begin struggling with weight at an earlier age. Now considered an epidemic, childhood obesity is also triggering an increase in diabetes and other health conditions, shortening lives and costing the NHS more than ?5bn each year.

Lara Richardson and baby Oliver at the NiPPeR participant meet up

At the forefront of international efforts to tackle this growing problem, a research team at our University, led by Keith Godfrey, Professor of Epidemiology and Human Development, is conducting a groundbreaking study to develop a new nutritional drink to reduce the chances of childhood obesity via intervention before and during pregnancy.

Known as the NiPPeR (Nutritional Intervention Preconception and during Pregnancy to maintain healthy glucosE levels and offspRing health) study, the research is trialling the use of a combination of nutrients, vitamins and probiotics before and during pregnancy. The aim is to measure the impact of the nutritional drink on the health of mothers and babies, and ultimately assess its effect on each child’s weight.

Keith commented:

“To fundamentally tackle and reverse the epidemic of childhood obesity – particularly at a time when an increasing proportion of mothers are overweight, obese or have gestational diabetes – there is a need for effective new interventions and we hope that NiPPeR is going to provide the first example of these.”

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Read the full article to find out more about the NiPPeR study.