The associations between maternal BMI and gestational weight gain and health outcomes in offspring at age 1 and 7\xa0years

Valentina Chiavaroli,Janene B Biggs,Wayne S Cutfield,James C Baldi,Paul L Hofman,Sarah A Hopkins,José G B Derraik,Sumudu N Seneviratne,Raquel O Rodrigues,Lesley M E Mccowan

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-99869-7

Abstract

In secondary analyses of a randomised controlled trial of exercise during pregnancy, we examined associations between mid-pregnancy maternal body mass index (BMI) and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) with offspring health. Follow-up data were available on 57 mother–child pairs at 1-year and 52 pairs at 7-year follow-ups. Clinical assessments included body composition and fasting blood tests. At age 1 year, increased maternal BMI in mid-gestation was associated with greater weight standard deviation scores (SDS) in the offspring (p = 0.035), with no observed associations for excessive GWG. At age 7 years, greater maternal BMI was associated with increased weight SDS (p < 0.001), BMI SDS (p = 0.005), and total body fat percentage (p = 0.037) in their children. Irrespective of maternal BMI, children born to mothers with excessive GWG had greater abdominal adiposity (p = 0.043) and less favourable lipid profile (lower HDL-C and higher triglycerides). At 7 years, maternal BMI and excessive GWG had compounded adverse associations with offspring adiposity. Compared to offspring of mothers with overweight/obesity plus excessive GWG, children of normal-weight mothers with adequate and excessive GWG were 0.97 and 0.64 SDS lighter (p = 0.002 and p = 0.014, respectively), and 0.98 and 0.63 SDS leaner (p = 0.001 and p = 0.014, respectively). Both greater maternal BMI in mid-pregnancy and excessive GWG were independently associated with increased adiposity in offspring at 7 years.

Highlights

Pregnancy with obesity is associated with adverse short- and long-term consequences to offspring health and wellbeing[1,2,3,4]
Every 1.0 kg/m2 increase in maternal body mass index (BMI) at trial recruitment was associated with a 0.056 standard deviation scores (SDS) increase in offspring birth weight, but the latter was not different between the offspring of mothers who had excessive or adequate gestational weight gain (GWG) (Table 2)
Greater maternal BMI in mid-pregnancy was associated with increased adiposity in the offspring at approximately 7 years of age

Summary

Introduction

Pregnancy with obesity is associated with adverse short- and long-term consequences to offspring health and wellbeing[1,2,3,4]. It would be relevant to examine further the independent and combined effects of maternal prepregnancy BMI and excessive GWG on offspring adiposity and other relevant metabolic health outcomes.

Results

Conclusion