Association between gestational period and obesity in children with the use of dermatoglyphic traits: A preliminary study

Abstract

Events occurring during the gestational period can influence the development of diseases and conditions such as obesity. This study aimed to analyze the association between events occurring in the gestational period and the occurrence of obesity in children based on dermatoglyphic traits. The sample comprised 73 children born in 2009, living in Palhoça, Santa Catarina (SC), Brazil, regularly enrolled in public and private schools in that municipality and who are participants of an ongoing major cohort study project called Coorte Brasil Sul. The results show predictive traits of obesity when comparing BMI and fingerprint groups. Obese male group, presented the figure Ulnar Loop (UL) in the right hand (MDT1) thumb and greater number of ridges in the (MDSQL1) right thumb the greater the BMI; likewise, the older the woman getting pregnant the greater the number of ridges that the child presented in the (MESQL2) left index finger and (MESQL1) right thumb. The results obtained infer the presence of predictive traits of BMI ranges and a possible association between the dermatoglyphic traits of children with obesity and late pregnancy women.