Animal studies suggest that children may be at increased risk of diabetes if their grandmother maintained a poor diet while pregnant and breast feeding.
Grandchildren of rats that did not maintain a proper nutrition during pregnancy were at greater risk of obesity and insulin resistance. The University of Texas study is published by the Journal of Physiology.
The U.S. team, who collaborated with researchers from Mexico, believe their work is the first to show the effect may be passed down the next generation too.
Researcher Professor Peter Nathanielsz said, "These new findings stretch the unwanted consequences of poor nutrition across generations.
"It offers us important clues about the origins of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes."
The study showed that granddaughters were particularly vulnerable if their grandmothers' diet was poor during pregnancy.
However the effect was not as drastic for boys. However, boys seemed to be more affected if their mothers failed to get sufficient nutrients when being breastfed.
Dr. Nathanielsz said the results underlined just how important it was that women eat well during pregnancy, and in the first few moths after giving birth.
However, he said further research was needed to determine how the effects of a poor diet manifests itself in the body across generations.
