Poor Diet During Pregnancy May Lead to Junk Food Addiction in Offspring.

A "junk food" diet during pregnancy and lactation in rats led to desensitization of the normal reward (opioid) system in offspring, indicating that those born to a mother who ate such a diet would need to eat more fat and sugar to feel satisfied, increasing their preference for junk food. It would also encourage them to overeat. Indeed, previous research has demonstrated that perinatal exposure to a maternal "junk-food" diet increases the preference for palatable diets in adult offspring. These latest findings, published in The FASEB Journal, provide an explanation.