We've all read and been told how bad sugar is for us, and recent studies show that high-fructose, the type of corn sugar commonly found in soft drinks as high-fructose corn syrup, is the worst of all.

In adults, high fructose is linked to increases in obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. But a new study indicates that moms who drink high fructose may be programming their offspring for metabolic and cardiovascular disease later in life.

A new study from the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine found that feeding pregnant mice high fructose had a lasting effect on the health of their pups.

The randomized, placebo-controlled study gave pregnant mice either a fructose solution or water as the only liquid throughout their pregnancy. After birth, their offspring were given regular chow and evaluated after one year.

Using non-invasive methods, researchers measured their percentage of fat along with fat deposits in the liver which cause fatty liver disease. Glucose tolerance was measured as well as other measures of health, including levels of insulin, triglycerides, and total cholesterol.

While maternal weight, number of pups, and average weight at birth were similar between the two groups, the offspring born to mothers who drank the fructose solution had higher concentrations of glucose when compared with controls.

Female offspring from the fructose group were heavier and had a higher percent of visceral adipose tissue — fat tissue stored in the abdominal cavity that is associated with insulin resistance — and higher amounts of fat in the liver as well as other chemicals that influence appetite and how the body regulates sugar and appetite.

"While this study was done in a mouse model, it is an important indicator of the effect of the mothers' diet during pregnancy on the health of their children later in life," said Antonio Saad, M.D. with the University of Texas Medical Branch Galveston and the lead researcher of the study.

"Through this study, we know that consuming high fructose during pregnancy puts the child at future risk for a variety of health conditions including obesity and the many complications it causes," he said.

The study concluded that limiting high fructose in pregnancy may have a significant impact on the long-term health of offspring.