Knowledge Bank

Several maternal factors, like obesity, inactivity, and overnutrition, increase the offspring’s risk of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Recent studies show that the offspring can be protected against the development of these negative health outcomes through maternal physical activity. However, the specific mechanisms by which maternal exercise mediates positive effects are not yet fully understood. One study from our lab, the Stanford Lab, explores the changes in breast milk as a contributing factor through which maternal exercise improves offspring health. The changes in the breast milk may confer benefits by increasing the number of beneficial commensal bacteria.

These bacteria are associated with improved glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity, but it is unclear which mechanism mediates changes in the offspring gut to affect metabolic health. We hypothesize that maternal exercise promotes the growth of metabolically beneficial commensal bacteria in the offspring gut. This project seeks to identify the microbial changes on the offspring gut microbiome resulting from maternal exercise, potentially uncovering novel therapeutic targets to improve metabolic health and protect against the development of negative health outcomes like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.