You Are What You Eat

I was driving to work this morning when I heard the results of a recent study on the radio news. Research has determined that a child is more likely to eat healthy vegetables, such as broccoli and cauliflower, if the child’s mother ate those same vegetables during her pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

I was so excited by this news that I nearly drove through a red light. OK, I admit that I nearly drove through the red light because I was late for work, but I was also excited by the study.

For a couple of minutes, I gloated with pride over the mounds of vegetables that I happily ate during my pregnancy. We won’t discuss my post-pregnancy eating habits here, but I can honestly say that I make it a habit to eat my fruits and vegetables everyday while I’m breastfeeding. Maybe I just don’t eat as much of them as I should…

My glee was short-lived, however, when I contemplated the whole picture. Because there is always more to the story than the results of the research suggests.

Consider this:

If a mother eats broccoli and cauliflower during her pregnancy, it is likely that her normal diet may include a healthy helping of fruits and vegetables. This mother is probably more likely to offer broccoli and cauliflower to her young child than the mother that dined exclusively on Pepsi and Cheetos during her pregnancy.

DUH.

Another fine example of research dollars wasted.

Aren’t we still looking for a cure for cancer?