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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Little Rock, Arkansas » Microbiome and Metabolism Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #270267
Title: Pre-pregnancy BMI and body fat mass of 2 weeks old infants

Author
item ANDRES, ALINE - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item SHANKAR, KARTIK - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)
item Badger, Thomas - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)

Submitted to: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2010
Publication Date: 4/1/2011
Citation: Andres, A., Shankar, K., Badger, T.M. 2011. Pre-pregnancy BMI and body fat mass of 2 weeks old infants. The FASEB Journal. 25(Meeting Abstracts):990.8.

Interpretive Summary: This study reports for the first time infant body composition at 2 weeks of age for mothers who gained the same amount of weight during their pregnancy. Lean and overweight mothers (N=20/group) were included. All infants were exclusively breast-fed until age 4 months. There were no significant differences in gestational weight gain, gestational age, birth weight, birth length, infants’ age, weight, or length. Post-partum percent body fat mass was significantly higher in overweight than lean mothers. At 2 weeks of age, infants of overweight mothers had greater fat mass (15.4%) compared to infants of lean mothers (12.5%). These data suggest that, despite similar gestational weight gain and gestational age, infants of overweight mothers have greater adipose deposition in utero compared to infants of lean mothers.

Technical Abstract: Maternal programming of fetal metabolism has been previously demonstrated in animal studies. Clinical studies have also shown an association between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and anthropometric measures in infants. This study reports for the first time infant body composition at 2 weeks using Air Displacement Plethysmography technology (PeaPod®) in a cohort matched for gestational weight gain. Pre-pregnancy BMI were self reported. Lean and overweight mothers (N=20/group) were included. All infants were exclusively breast-fed until age 4 mo. There were no significant differences in gestational weight gain, gestational age, birth weight, birth length, infants’ age, weight, or length. Post-partum percent body fat mass was significantly higher in overweight than lean mothers. At 2 weeks of age, infants of overweight mothers had greater fat mass (P<0.05) compared to infants of lean mothers (15.4% vs. 12.5%, respectively). At 3 mo of age, infants of lean mothers (N=19) trended toward a leaner phenotype (P<0.1) compared with infants of overweight mothers (N=16; 24.1% vs. 26.8% fat mass, respectively), which may be due to the small number of participants. These data suggest that, despite similar gestational weight gain and gestational age, infants of overweight mothers have greater adipose deposition in utero compared to infants of lean mothers.