Maternal gestational weight gain and offspring risk for childhood overweight or obesity

Abstract

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between gestational weight gain, per the 2009 Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommendations, and offspring overweight/obesity at 2–5 years of age. STUDY DESIGN This was a prospective cohort study of 4145 women who completed a health survey (2007–2009) and subsequently delivered a singleton at Kaiser Permanente Northern California (2007–2010). Childhood overweight/obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) z-score of the 85th percentile or greater of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention child growth standards. Gestational weight gain was categorized according to the 2009 IOM recommendations. Logistic regression was used; meeting the IOM recommendations was the referent. RESULTS Exceeding the IOM recommendations was associated with a 46% increase in odds of having an overweight/obese child (odds ratio [OR], 1.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–1.83), after adjusting for maternal prepregnancy BMI, race/ethnicity, age at delivery, education, child age, birthweight, gestational age at delivery, gestational diabetes, parity, infant sex, total metabolic equivalents, and dietary pattern. The OR (95% CI) for childhood overweight/obesity among women gaining below the IOM recommendations was 1.23 (0.88–1.71). The associations between gaining outside the IOM recommendations and childhood obesity were stronger among women with a normal prepregnancy BMI (OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.03–2.57) (below); OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.32–2.43) (exceeded). CONCLUSION Gestational weight gain outside the IOM recommendations is associated with increased odds of childhood overweight/obesity, independent of several potential confounders and mediators. Gestational weight gain had a greater impact on childhood overweight/obesity among normal-weight women, suggesting that the effect may be independent of genetic predictors of obesity.

Fit for Birth – the effect of weight changes in obese pregnant women on maternal and neonatal outcomes: a pilot prospective cohort study

“…Based on limited data however correlations between gestational weight gain and offspring birth weight as well as childhood obesity have been demonstrated (11)(12)(13)(14).…”

“…Weight data were collected on 756 women. Only 385 women had weights measured in all three study assessment periods (6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20) weeks, 20+1 to 32 weeks and >32 weeks gestation) while 427 women had weights measured in Period 3. Individual…”

Association between Prepregnancy Body Mass Index and Gestational Weight Gain with Size, Tempo, and Velocity of Infant Growth: Analysis of the Newborn Epigenetic Study Cohort

“…The study, however, did not examine gestational weight gain, which is also a risk factor for later childhood obesity independent of prepregnancy BMI. [15][16][17][18] In this study, we aimed to examine the associations among maternal characteristics, prenatal factors-including gestational weight gain-and size, tempo, and velocity. We hypothesized that maternal smoking, parity, and gestational hypertension would be related to infant growth parameters derived using SITAR.…”

Preconception and Prenatal Factors and Metabolic Risk

“…This finding emphasizes the impact that maternal adiposity may have through offspring adiposity on various predictors of subclinical and clinical disease, including diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. A large US cohort study reported that excessive maternal GWG was independently associated with a 46% increased risk of overweight or obesity in offspring at 2-5 years of age (Sridhar et al 2014). In a retrospective cohort study, excessive maternal GWG had an adverse impact on the risk of childhood overweight and abdominal adiposity (Ensenauer et al 2013).…”