Maternal Diet Linked to Higher Hypertension Risk in Children
A groundbreaking study led by Prof Ahmed Oloyo, Head of Physiology at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, has revealed that a high-salt diet during pregnancy may significantly increase the risk of hypertension in children.
Using animal models, the team found that offspring of mothers fed high-salt diets showed elevated blood pressure, impaired blood vessel function, and heightened inflammatory markers, all risk factors for future cardiovascular disease.
Prof Oloyo emphasized the urgent need for public education and government intervention, warning that common Nigerian dietary habits, heavy in processed and salted foods, could unknowingly endanger future generations.
“There is a saying, ‘We are what we eat,’ but perhaps we should also ask, ‘Are we what our parents ate?’” he noted, stressing that prenatal nutrition must be prioritized to combat the rising tide of hypertension.
Team members, including Dr Abdullahi Adejare, Dr Esther Asamudo, the late Emeritus Prof Olusoga Sofola, Khadijat Ismail-Badmus, Santan Olley, and Dr Esther Ohihoin, call for improved prenatal care and targeted dietary interventions based on these findings.
This study opens a crucial dialogue on maternal health and the early prevention of heart disease, reinforcing that hypertension is no longer just an adult problem; it can begin even before birth.
