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March 6, 2012
Nowadays, there are increasing public concerns about health risks related to pregnancy, namely excess weight gain by today’s pregnant women. Many experts and health care specialists point to the fact that obesity in expecting moms can be strictly linked to obesity in children and increased health risks related to childhood obesity. That is why specialists started looking for effective ways to prevent this tendency in pregnant women and support healthy pregnancy. Undoubtedly, pregnant women can not use calorie restriction or regular moderate intensity workouts known for their effectiveness for weight gain prevention. However, having a pet like a dog can be a great idea for preventing weight gain in modern pregnant women.
The related study was carried out by an extended group of experts from the University of Bristol, the University of Liverpool, the Waltham Centre and the University of South Carolina. They analyzed a great deal of data and information related to health condition, eating habits, life style and other factors on about 11,000 pregnant women in the United Kingdom. 
The data was offered by The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a massive public study hosted at the University of Bristol. It was initiated in 1991 by Jean Golding and is directed now by George Davey Smith.
It turned out that having such a companion as dog, pregnant women can stay more physically active, that is very important for the expecting mothers. Those pregnant women who are also dog owners get very often involved in such activities as brisk walking which is one of the most useful and recommended type of cardio exercises for all of us. In addition to positive effects of such exercises for weight loss prevention and improving overall health, walking with a dog can assist pregnant women in being more fit and looking more beautiful.
‘We are increasingly seeing that exercising with a dog can lead to improved motivation and effectiveness,’ Dr Sandra McCune, one of the researchers and the scientific program manager at the Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, commented to the mass media. It is very important that dog can assist pregnant women to do low-risk physical activities, which combined with healthy and balanced diet can be a perfect tool to a healthy pregnancy and preventing health problems in future children. Those who are interested in the findings of the British scientists can read more about this study in one of the latest issues of PLoS Medicine, a peer-reviewed open-access online journal published by the Public Library of Science.
Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.
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