Abstract
BackgroundMaternal obesity and high gestational weight gain (GWG) disproportionally affect low-income populations and may be associated with child neurodevelopment in a sex-specific manner. We examined sex-specific associations between prepregnancy BMI, GWG, and child neurodevelopment at age 7.MethodsData are from a prospective low-income cohort of African American and Dominican women (n = 368; 44.8% male offspring) enrolled during the second half of pregnancy from 1998 to 2006. Neurodevelopment was measured using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) at approximately child age 7. Linear regression estimated associations between prepregnancy BMI, GWG, and child outcomes, adjusting for race/ethnicity, marital status, gestational age at delivery, maternal education, maternal IQ and child age.ResultsOverweight affected 23.9% of mothers and obesity affected 22.6%. At age 7, full-scale IQ was higher among girls (99.7 ± 11.6) compared to boys (96.9 ± 13.3). Among boys, but not girls, prepregnancy overweight and obesity were associated with lower full-scale IQ scores [overweight β: − 7.1, 95% CI: (− 12.1, − 2.0); obesity β: − 5.7, 95% CI: (− 10.7, − 0.7)]. GWG was not associated with full-scale IQ in either sex.ConclusionsPrepregnancy overweight and obesity were associated with lower IQ among boys, but not girls, at 7 years. These findings are important considering overweight and obesity prevalence and the long-term implications of early cognitive development.
Highlights
Maternal obesity and high gestational weight gain (GWG) disproportionally affect low-income populations and may be associated with child neurodevelopment in a sex-specific manner
We recently reported differences in associations of maternal prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and child development by sex in our cohort at age 3; we found that maternal obesity was associated with
Among low-income African American and Dominican urban children participating in the Columbia Center for Children’s Environmental Health (CCCEH) Mothers and Newborns Study, we examined whether maternal prepregnancy BMI and GWG were related to neurodevelopment at child age 7 and if associations varied by child sex
Summary
Maternal obesity and high gestational weight gain (GWG) disproportionally affect low-income populations and may be associated with child neurodevelopment in a sex-specific manner. Low-income, multiethnic populations are disproportionally affected by adverse prenatal factors, such as excessive maternal adiposity and high gestational weight gain (GWG) [4, 5]. We recently reported differences in associations of maternal prepregnancy BMI and child development by sex in our cohort at age 3; we found that maternal obesity was associated with. Widen et al BMC Pediatrics (2019) 19:507 lower psychomotor development index scores in boys, but not girls [20]. Whether these sex-specific effects persist into mid-childhood remains unknown
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