Pregnant mothers sticking to USDA diet guidelines cut infant obesity risk, study finds

Pregnant mothers who maintain a diet meeting the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans to full term may be more likely to have infants with healthy birth weights, steadier growth patterns and potentially a reduced risk of obesity later in childhood, according to a new study. 

The research, published in JAMA Network Open, included more than 2,800 mother-child pairs, suggests that the prenatal diet could have long-term positive effects on infant growth up to 24 months.