I think it’s wonderful that Michelle Obama has taken up the cause of ending childhood obesity, but as a dietitian and mother, it makes me wonder: isn’t the horse already out of the barn?

After all, while important and necessary, trying to reverse the trend of overweight kids is far more difficult than preventing an unhealthy weight in the first place.

If you don’t have children yet, you may be wondering what all this talk of warding off excess weight in kids has to do with you. Plenty.

Future mothers, listen up.  It’s possible to influence your child’s weight well before you get pregnant.  Your body weight at conception may affect your child’s well-being for his entire lifetime.

Research shows that overweight moms tend to deliver babies with more fat. In addition, children of overweight moms tend to become overweight during their early years.

A recent study in the March 1 issue of Pediatrics found that when mom is overweight at the time of conception, the risk of obesity in her toddler and preschooler increases.

A December, 2005 study, also in Pediatrics, concluded that mom’s weight within a month of conceiving had the greatest influence on a child’s weight at ages 3, 5, and 7.  If a woman was overweight before pregnancy occurred, her son or daughter was up to three times more likely to be overweight (overweight was defined as having a Body Mass Index greater than or equal to the 95th percentile) by age 7 compared to a child whose mother was of normal weight. The more overweight the mom, the greater the chance of overweight and obesity at a young age for a child.

Not surprisingly, in the 2005 Pediatrics study, 75% of the children who were at a normal weight at age 7, the last time the children were weighed, had always been at a normal weight.  The 2010 research linked a poor diet, including fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages, insufficient sleep and televisions in childrens’ bedrooms to children becoming overweight during early childhood.

So, what’s a potential mom to do? First find out if your weight is within a normal range. See my post about body weight before pregnancy and weight gain when expecting.

Already pregnant? Not to worry.  Talk with your doctor or midwife about the Institute of Medicine’s guidelines for weight gain and work out a weight gain plan that’s right for you.

Have you seen my other blog at USAToday.com?  It features tips for feeding your family healthy foods, and offers a weekly recipe that I prepare with my children as part of Cooking With My Kids.  This week’s recipe is Corn Chowder. It’s wonderful for cool Spring evenings, and so easy to make.  Check out the recipe at http://tinyurl.com/4×2e5x.