Association of Maternal Obesity and Childhood Obesity: Implications for Healthcare Providers

Abstract

The purpose of this critical appraisal was to assess the available literature on the association of maternal obesity as a risk factor for childhood obesity and to explore the implications for incorporating this evidence into practice. The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity, with its documented adverse health effects, is a critical public health threat in the United States and worldwide. Research studies have documented increased rates of childhood obesity associated with maternal obesity. Healthcare providers are challenged to expand their competencies to recognize the association of maternal obesity and childhood obesity and to address both primary and secondary prevention of childhood obesity. Stopping the cycle of obesity before it becomes the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States is a priority for community health nurses.

Tracking of Overweight and Obesity in Greek Youth

“…Ourresultsshowedapositiveassociationbetweenparental andchildweightstatus,afindingconsistentwithotherstudies [25,26].Therelationshipbetweenparentalandchildweight status is mediated by a number of factors, both genetic and environmental. Since we found a significant association beperday.Finally,therewasaclearassociationbetweenthenutritional status of children and their parents (p < 0.001 for both parents), as overweight and obese parents were more likely to have overweight and obese children than the nonoverweightmothersandfathers.…”

Alarming weight gain in women of a post-transitional country

“…A variety of conditions are associated with obesity in women (including type 2 diabetes mellitus, CVD and breast cancer, among others) (2) that not only decrease their survival, but also compromise their current quality of life and reproductive health (3) . Moreover, maternal obesity is an important risk factor for childhood obesity (4) ; thus, obesity in women has a multiplicative detrimental effect.…”

“…A variety of conditions are associated with obesity in women (including type 2 diabetes mellitus, CVD and breast cancer, among others) (2) that not only decrease their survival, but also compromise their current quality of life and reproductive health (3) . Moreover, maternal obesity is an important risk factor for childhood obesity (4) ; thus, obesity in women has a multiplicative detrimental effect.Chile, a post-transitional upper-middle-income Latin American country, has experienced a rapid epidemiological and nutritional transition (5) . The 2003 and 2010 National Health Surveys informed an obesity prevalence in women aged 25-44 years of 26?1 % and 28?3 %, respectively (6,7) .…”

Correlates and suspected causes of obesity in children

“…Arluk, Branch, Swain, and Dowling (2003) and Kimbro et al (2007) conducted studies that revealed maternal obesity as the strongest independent predictor of childhood obesity, and research by Salsberry and Reagan (2005) suggested that maternal prepregnancy obesity influences early childhood obesity, which is perpetuated as the child ages. Among low-income children, maternal obesity in early pregnancy (during the first trimester) more than doubles the risk of obesity at 2-4 years of age (Durand, Logan, & Carruth, 2007;Whitaker, 2004). Furthermore, children's birth weight is a predictor of being overweight or obese at three years of age (Kimbro et al, 2007), and obesity at one and two and a half years of age is predictive of obesity at five years of age (Huss, Ludvigsson, Enskär, & Ludvigsson, 2007).…”

“…Although obesity has increased the risk of a number of chronic health conditions, diabetes is the most closely associated with obesity (Durand et al, 2007). Being overweight is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes (Fagot-Campagna, Saadinem, Flegal, & Beckles, 2000), and the incidence of diabetes has increased as has the prevalence of obesity, accounting for nearly 50% of new cases in pediatric diabetes in some areas of the country (Fagot-Campagna et al, 2000;.…”