Now we didn't get enough veggies in utero?

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Permalink Reply by Kristin on November 4, 2009 at 12:59am

Ugh. My favorite quote from the article is:
"more studies of various kinds will be needed before we can say anything definitive."

I think we all knew that it was healthy to eat veggies during pregnancy. So this article doesn't contain much new info.

My mother is already convinced that (somehow) it is her fault that I have diabetes. No one send this link to her. Please!

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Permalink Reply by Xanthasun on November 4, 2009 at 7:03am

That was my favorite quote too!

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Permalink Reply by Cara Bauer on November 4, 2009 at 5:46am

I find this to be total BS. Mom told me its all she wanted was vegetables, fruit, sauerkraut (which I can't stand) and fish her entire pregnancy with me. I have 2 younger brothers and I'm the only type 1 in my family. I think researchers are really struggling to give it a cause. I think its probably a faulty gene.

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Permalink Reply by bsc on November 4, 2009 at 6:07am

The problem with many of these observational studies is that without very strict control of the confounding variables, you can't really be sure about the results. Is it not true that access to fresh veggies is better for more affluent suburban mothers? There is ample evidence that inner city mothers have less access to veggies. Do you think perhaps inner city mothers might also be poorer and have worse medical care?

I am certainly a fan of eating veggies in a broad and balanced diet, but like you, I shake my head at this stuff. How is the average mother-to-be going to wade through all this supposedly scientific advice and get to the truth?

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Permalink Reply by Kat on November 4, 2009 at 6:19am

I bet the study says something like 'There was a slight correlation between nutrition during pregnancy and t1. We don't know why, further studies are needed' and then the media reports on it and it becomes 'Eating your veggies will prevent your child from getting diabetes.'

I really dislike how a lot of articles like this give the impression that there is something you can do to prevent t1 or other chronic illnesses and that you can be in complete control of your health. Which of course implies that it's your own fault if you got sick, when in reality control is just an illusion and a lot of it is just blind chance.

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Permalink Reply by Kelly Rawlings on November 4, 2009 at 6:25am

Ummm, did you not yet receive your copy of the Parental Handbook?

Chapter 1, "Parenting is Wonderful Except for the Guilt"

When I was an angry teen with diabetes, I was utterly convinced I had been cursed because my mom smoked during pregnancy (remember when they told us smoking was good for us?). Fortunately, we both got over that rough patch!

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Permalink Reply by Jim Wright on November 19, 2009 at 12:48pm

I remember reading a story about the likelihood of diabetes being tripled for kids breast fed for substantially less than 9 months or a year or something. When I found out my mom cut me off at 6, I gave her no end of guilt.

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