Maternal and Paternal Body Mass Index and Offspring Obesity: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background/Aims: It has been hypothesized that the intrauterine environment is an independent factor in obesity development. If so, the maternal effect is likely to be a stronger influencing factor (‘fetal overnutrition hypothesis'). We aimed to systematically evaluate the associations of offspring body mass index (BMI, or adiposity) with pre-pregnancy BMI (or adiposity) of the mother and the father. Methods: The Medline, Embase and Cochrane Library databases were searched in March 2012. Results: Seven cohort studies were eligible for the analysis. Among these, 2 groups of trials presented different data from the same parent-offspring cohorts (the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, ALSPAC, and the Mater-University Study of Pregnancy, MUSP). In total, 3 large birth cohorts and 1 additional small study were identified. Three studies provided a direct comparison of parent-offspring associations, with a statistically stronger maternal influence found only in the MUSP cohort. Equivocal results were obtained from all studies describing the ALSPAC cohort. The parental effect (indirectly estimated based on the presented odds ratio) was similar in the Finnish cohort. In 1 additional small study, maternal BMI was found to be a strong predictor of childhood obesity. Conclusions: There is only limited evidence to support the ‘fetal overnutrition hypothesis'.

Maternal BMI at the start of pregnancy and offspring epigenome-wide DNA methylation: Findings from the Pregnancy and Childhood Epigenetics (PACE) consortium

“…The key assumption of the negative control design is that both exposures share the same postnatal environmental and genetic confounders. A systematic review (8) of such studies, together with subsequent studies not included in the review (9)(10)(11)(12), have found only limited support for specific effects of maternal adiposity on offspring adiposity beyond birth. To our knowledge, similar causal inference techniques have not yet been applied to study maternal effects of adiposity in pregnancy on other aspects of offspring health.…”

Effect of maternal obesity on pregnancy outcomes and long-term metabolic consequences

“…[10][11][12][13][14][15][16] Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses confirm the association of pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity with the risk for high birth weight (HBW), large-for-gestational-age (LGA) neonates, macrosomia and subsequent offspring overweight/ obesity, 17,18 while others provide limited evidence to support the aforementioned association. 19 Furthermore, there are still important gaps in the literature that need to be assessed such as the pathophysiological mechanisms involving the maternal obesity effects with adverse pregnancy outcomes and future metabolic consequences for the fetus; the development of markers or algorithms for early prediction (from the beginning of pregnancy) of these adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as gestational diabetes and preeclampsia; establishment of criteria and cor-responding management for the pregnancy-acquired weight in specific groups at risk (e.g. pregnant women with pre-pregnancy BMI >40).…”

Of the bugs that shape us: maternal obesity, the gut microbiome, and long-term disease risk

“…Maternal obesity is currently one of the leading factors predicting childhood obesity (24). Maternal obesity is associated with abnormal feto-placental function (25), offspring obesity risk (24), and increased disease risk in general.…”

“…Maternal obesity is currently one of the leading factors predicting childhood obesity (24). Maternal obesity is associated with abnormal feto-placental function (25), offspring obesity risk (24), and increased disease risk in general. Although maternal high-fat (HF) diet models in animals have made significant advances in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms, linking maternal obesity with offspring obesity and metabolic dysfunction which one (or combination) of the identified signaling pathways is best for targeted interventions to reduce childhood and adolescent obesity and metabolic compromise is as of yet, unclear.…”