Jan 05, 2015 05:33 PM EST By J Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

A mother's exercise habits may help improve her children's blood pressure, according to a recent study.

Researchers from Michigan State University found that the exercise habits of expecting moms can reverse the long-standing belief, established among doctors and researchers alike, that babies with lower birth weight have a greater risk of having high blood pressure later in life and possibly lower a child's chances of high blood pressure, even though they may weigh less at birth. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a key factor in cardiovascular health.

"We looked at a range of normal birth weight babies, some falling at the lower end of the scale, and surprisingly we found that this lower birth weight and higher blood pressure relationship in these offspring is not supported if the women were physically active," James Pivarnik, lead author and kinesiology professor at Michigan State University said in a statement. "The connection was disrupted, indicating that exercise may in some way alter cardiovascular risk that occurs in utero."

This phenomenon is linked to what is known as the fetal origins hypothesis. The theory suggests if something strenuous happens to a mother and her unborn child during critical growth periods in the pregnancy, permanent changes can occur that can affect the health of the baby.

For the study, researchers evaluated 51 women over a five-year period based on physical activity such as running or walking throughout pregnancy and post-pregnancy. In a follow up to the study, researchers found that regular exercise in a subset of these women, particularly during the third trimester, was associated with lower blood pressure in their children.

"This told us that exercise during critical developmental periods may have more of a direct effect on the baby," Pivarnik said.

Researchers also found that the children whose mothers exercised at recommended or higher levels of activity displayed significantly lower systolic blood pressures at 8 to 10 years old.

"This is a good thing as it suggests that the regular exercise habits of the mother are good for heart health later in a child's life," Pivarnik added.

The findings are detailed in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness.

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