Final answer:
Food scarcity during pregnancy can lead to epigenetic changes that predispose the baby to efficient calorie storage and potential metabolic problems such as obesity. Adequate nutrition is crucial for healthy fetal development, and overeating can lead to excessive weight gain and related health risks. Undernutrition can cause low birthweight and susceptibility to disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
The issue described involves the concept of epigenetics and how environmental factors during pregnancy, such as food scarcity, can lead to metabolic problems and obesity in later life. During pregnancy, an additional 300 calories per day is typically all that is required, primarily in the last trimester, to ensure healthy fetal growth. Consuming considerably more can lead to excessive weight gain and negative outcomes, including a higher risk of the child developing diabetes and obesity.
Undernutrition during pregnancy can lead to babies being born with low birth weight, which carries its own health risks, such as susceptibility to disease and potential developmental delays. Epigenetic changes may occur in the fetus as a result of the mother’s nutrition level, leading to a 'reprogramming' of the baby's biological systems to be miserly with calorie usage, expecting continued scarcity. This genetic predisposition can exist alongside environmental factors and socioeconomic status which also influence obesity rates.
It is crucial for expectant mothers to receive adequate nutrition—for their own health and for the healthy development of the fetus. This includes not just calories, but a balanced intake of proteins, lipids, vitamins, and minerals.