Low-fat yoghurt in pregnancy linked to asthma

Pregnant women who eat low-fat yoghurt could be increasing the family health risk to their baby and increase its chance of developing asthma and hayfever during childhood.

Research presented at the European Respiratory Society conference suggests this could be due to an absence of protective fatty acids in ‘healthier’ diet yoghurts.

Scientists at the Statens Serum Institute in Denmark found that pregnant women who ate low-fat yoghurts daily were 1.6 times more likely to have children who developed asthma by age seven.

Ekaterina Maslova, lead study author, described the findings as “puzzling” and suggested other lifestyle factors may also have contributed.

Director of research at Asthma UK, Leanne Metcalf, said there was plenty of evidence to show that pre-natal nutrition can impact an unborn child’s health in development.

She added: “Eating a healthy, balanced diet at any time, but especially during pregnancy is advisable and we would recommend that pregnant women discuss any drastic changes to their diet with their GP first.”

Posted by Libby Ward