Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy and Risk of Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review.

Natalie C Frayer,Yeonsoo Kim

doi:10.21106/ijma.387

Natalie C Frayer, Yeonsoo Kim

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.21106/ijma.387

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Abstract

Objective:This paper evaluates the association between caffeine consumption during pregnancy and overweight or obesity in the offspring.Methods:Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a literature search was conducted using MedLine, PubMed, CINAHL-Plus and Google Scholar databases. Inclusion criteria were cohort studies on participants with live singleton births at ≥28 weeks gestation who had consumed caffeine during pregnancy. Included were studies reporting both measurement of maternal caffeine intake and offspring anthropometric measurements. Studies reporting serum paraxanthine, a measurement of caffeine intake, were also included.Results:After final elimination, there were eight studies meeting our inclusion criteria. From these studies, we deduced that caffeine intake during pregnancy between 50 mg and <150 mg/day was associated with increased risk of overweight and obesity by excess fat deposition or increased weight, and elevated BMI per International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) criteria using a reference population. The majority of studies reported the strongest association with maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and overweight and obesity risk beginning at ≥300 mg/day.Conclusions and Global Health Implication:The risk of childhood overweight or obesity was associated with caffeine consumption at 50 mg/day during pregnancy with a stronger association at intakes ≥300 mg/day and higher. The current recommendation of <200 mg/day of caffeine during pregnancy is likely associated with lower risk of overweight or obesity in offspring but avoidance of the substance is recommended.

Highlights

Starting in the 1980’s until 2004, the prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States was increasing at a rate of 0.4-0.7 percent points per year
For the first study22 when comparing results between pregnant mothers who consumed
Caffeine intake was evaluated by group and body fat recorded as skinfold measurements were taken on infants at three and six months

Summary

Introduction

Starting in the 1980’s until 2004, the prevalence of childhood obesity in the United States was increasing at a rate of 0.4-0.7 percent points per year. Overweight or obese children have a 70% chance of being overweight or obese in adulthood along with higher risk for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, or diabetes.. Children at or above the 85th percentile but less than 95th percentile are classified as overweight while those at or above the 95th percentile are classified as obese.2,8 Another measurement of childhood overweight and obesity involves cut-off points as designated by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). The IOTF links BMI at the age of 18 to child centiles based on data from six countries. This data does not translate into percentiles as with the CDC guidelines.

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