It seems as if every year researchers associate obesity with a new illness. In a recent study funded by The March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, the condition was linked to birth defects and premature birth in babies. Researchers for The March of Dimes Task Force on Nutrition and Optimal Human Development, which conducted the study, claim that the recent rise in premature births-along with birth defects and other infant health problems-may be linked to increased obesity among women. According to the study, infants born to an obese mother have a higher risk of suffering from "cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and other health problems" later in life.