First lady Michelle Obama is on a mission to end the childhood obesity epidemic that’s facing the nation. So far, she’s talked to parents, kids, teachers, policy makers and the food industry about her signature issue.

"We’ve heard the statistics – how one-third of all kids in this country are either overweight or obese," she wrote in Newsweek magazine. "This isn’t something we can fix with a bill in Congress or an executive order from the president."

In addition to eating more healthy food and getting more exercise, researchers in Europe say the results of a new study may prove helpful in reducing the number of overweight and obese kids in the U.S.

The study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that expectant mothers who eat probiotic foods while pregnant may help prevent their children from becoming obese later in life.

Researchers say women who consumed probiotics during their first trimester were less likely to suffer from gestational diabetes, which can result in delivering an overweight baby. Overweight infants may also suffer from excess insulin and be at risk for becoming obese or developing type 2 diabetes during adulthood, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Probiotics are healthy bacteria. They are available in supplement form as well as in foods like yogurt, cereals and some soy products.