Scientists seek origins of obesity in the womb

"When Kathy Perusse had weight-loss surgery and shed 120 pounds, she may have done more than make her own life easier.

She went on to have two daughters, and she may have boosted their chances of avoiding becoming obese, like her two older children are.

That's the implication of research suggesting that something in an obese woman's womb can program her fetus toward becoming a fat child and adult. It's not about simply passing along genes that promote obesity; it's some sort of still-mysterious signal.

The idea has only recently entered conversations between doctors and female patients, and scientists are scrambling to track down a biological explanation. That knowledge, in turn, may provide new ways to block obesity from crossing generations.

While there's some disagreement on how important the womb signal is, 'the evidence is building and building that it is a substantial issue,' said Dr. Matthew Gillman of Harvard Medical School, who studies prevention of obesity.

Others agree. 'I think it could be a hugely significant factor,' said Robert Waterland of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, who studies the effect in mice."