Iron deficiency can be a health hazard at practically any age, since the blood needs adequate levels of the mineral in order to transport oxygen throughout the body. A new study has determined that being obese during pregnancy increases the likelihood that a woman’s child will be iron-deficient.

The research, which was presented at the yearly conference of the Pediatric Academic Societies, noted that an estimated one-half of all the iron needed for a baby’s perinatal development comes from maternal diet.

So why does overeating lead to a short supply of iron instead of too much? Scientists are not entirely sure what mechanism leads to this deficiency, but they stated that obesity in people who are not expecting a child tends to cause intestinal inflammation that slows the uptake of iron from food.

The team analyzed cord blood taken from more than 280 babies. Those born to mothers with a body mass index greater than 30 were much less likely to have levels of iron sufficient for healthy cerebral development.

Anyone who does not get enough iron in their diet may be able to boost their levels of the nutrient by taking dietary supplements or multivitamins.