Researchers looked at 11 studies to understand if what pregnant women eat affects what their children like to eat later. They found that when pregnant mothers ate more carbohydrates and sugary foods, their children tended to prefer similar foods as they grew up. Animal studies showed babies might prefer fatty foods, while human studies showed children ate more carbs and sugary products. However, scientists say we need more research to be completely sure about these connections, since the current studies have some limitations.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether the amount and type of carbohydrates (including sugar) that pregnant women eat influences what foods their children prefer and eat as they grow up
  • Who participated: The review combined 11 different studies: 6 studies using animals and 5 studies with human families. The human studies followed children from infancy through their teenage years
  • Key finding: Children whose mothers ate more carbohydrates during pregnancy tended to eat more carbohydrates and sugary foods themselves. The connection was stronger in human studies (statistically significant at p = 0.002), though all studies had some quality issues
  • What it means for you: What pregnant women eat might influence their children’s food preferences for years to come. This suggests healthy eating during pregnancy could help set kids up for better eating habits, but more research is needed before making strong recommendations

The Research Details

This was a systematic review, which means researchers searched through scientific databases to find all studies that looked at this topic. They looked for both animal studies (using mice and rats) and human studies (with real families). The researchers carefully checked the quality of each study using special tools designed to spot problems like bias or poor methods.

They searched six major scientific databases plus looked for unpublished studies that might not be in regular journals. For animal studies, they used a checklist called SYRCLE to check for problems. For human studies, they used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, which gives studies a score out of 9 stars based on how well they were designed.

The researchers also used something called GRADE to decide how confident they could be in the findings. This helps readers understand whether the results are strong evidence or just suggestions that need more testing.

A systematic review is important because it brings together all the research on one topic instead of looking at just one study. This gives a bigger picture of what scientists know. By checking the quality of each study, researchers can tell readers which findings are more trustworthy. This approach helps separate real discoveries from studies that might have problems in how they were done.

Most animal studies had a high risk of bias, meaning there were problems with how they were designed that could have affected the results. Human studies were better quality, with scores of 7-8 stars out of 9, but still had some methodological issues. All 11 studies together were rated as having ’low certainty of evidence,’ which means the findings are interesting but not definitive. Readers should view these results as promising leads that need more research, not as proven facts.

What the Results Show

In animal studies, when pregnant animals ate more carbohydrates, their babies showed a preference for high-fat foods and foods with both high fat and protein. This suggests that what mothers eat during pregnancy might program babies’ taste preferences before they’re even born.

In human studies, the pattern was slightly different. Children whose mothers ate more carbohydrates during pregnancy tended to eat more carbohydrates themselves as they grew up. These children also showed a preference for what scientists call a ‘Western diet pattern,’ which includes processed foods, sugary items, and fatty foods. This connection was statistically significant, meaning it’s unlikely to be just by chance.

When researchers looked specifically at sugar intake during pregnancy, the results were mixed in animal studies—some showed babies preferred sugary foods, while others found no connection. However, in human studies, the pattern was clearer: mothers who ate more sugar during pregnancy had children who consumed more sugary products from infancy all the way through their teenage years.

The review found that the effects seemed to last a long time. In human studies, the connection between what mothers ate and what children preferred was visible from infancy through adolescence, suggesting these food preferences become established early and stick around. The consistency of findings in human studies about sugar intake was particularly notable, even though animal studies disagreed on this point.

This review adds to growing evidence that pregnancy is a critical time for shaping children’s future health. Previous research has suggested that what happens in the womb affects lifelong health, and this study supports that idea specifically for food preferences. The findings fit with other research showing that early nutrition experiences influence eating habits, though this review shows the connection might start even before birth.

The biggest limitation is that all studies had quality issues. Animal studies especially had problems with how they were designed. Human studies were better but still not perfect. The number of human studies was small (only 5), so the findings might not apply to all populations. Some studies didn’t measure things the same way, making it hard to compare results. Most importantly, the studies show association (two things happening together) but don’t prove that one causes the other. A pregnant woman eating carbs doesn’t definitely cause her child to prefer carbs—other factors like family food culture and genetics also matter.

The Bottom Line

Based on this research, pregnant women should aim for a balanced diet with healthy carbohydrates (whole grains, fruits, vegetables) rather than sugary or processed carbohydrates. However, this recommendation has low to moderate confidence because the research is still developing. Women should follow their doctor’s or nutritionist’s guidance for pregnancy nutrition, which typically includes a mix of all food groups in appropriate amounts.

Pregnant women and those planning pregnancy should pay attention to these findings. Parents of young children might also find this interesting for understanding their children’s food preferences. Healthcare providers who advise pregnant women should be aware of this research. However, people without plans for pregnancy don’t need to change their eating habits based on this study.

If a pregnant woman changes her diet, the effects on her child’s food preferences would likely appear gradually from infancy onward. Parents shouldn’t expect immediate changes but rather should think of healthy eating during pregnancy as an investment in their child’s long-term health habits. Benefits would become more noticeable as children grow and make more independent food choices.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • For pregnant users: Track daily carbohydrate intake by type (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, added sugars) using the app’s food logging feature. Set a goal to keep added sugars below 25g per day and aim for 25-30g of fiber daily. Review weekly summaries to identify patterns.
  • Pregnant users can use the app to swap sugary snacks for fruit, replace white bread with whole grain options, and log meals to see their carbohydrate breakdown. The app could send reminders about healthy carb choices and suggest recipes featuring whole grains and vegetables.
  • For long-term tracking, parents can use the app to log their children’s food preferences and eating patterns from infancy through adolescence. This creates a record to see if dietary patterns match what research predicts, helping families stay aware of their children’s nutrition and make adjustments if needed.

This research is a systematic review showing associations between maternal carbohydrate intake and children’s food preferences, but does not prove cause-and-effect relationships. The evidence quality is currently low, meaning more research is needed. Pregnant women should consult with their healthcare provider or registered dietitian for personalized nutrition advice. This information is educational and should not replace professional medical guidance. Individual responses to dietary changes vary, and genetics, family food culture, and environment also significantly influence children’s eating habits.