As childhood obesity rates continue to rise in the U.S., researchers are looking into why. A new study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in the journal of Pediatric Obesity exposes one of the possible causes – prenatal exposure to both tobacco and cannabis smoke.
Children whose mothers smoked both tobacco and cannabis while pregnant had a 12 times higher risk for obesity by middle childhood (9-12 years) compared to non-exposed children, reported Medical Express.
"Two of the most commonly used substances during pregnancy are cigarettes and cannabis, and they are often used together," said Rina Das Eiden, professor of psychology and a study author. "While we know about the risks of prenatal tobacco exposure and child obesity, less …