Longitudinal body composition of children born to normal weight, overweight and obese mothers

Authors: ANDRES, ALINE - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); HULL, HOLLY - University Of Kansas Medical School; CLEVES, MARIO - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); CASEY, PATRICK - University Arkansas For Medical Sciences (UAMS); BADGER, THOMAS - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC); SHANKAR, KARTIK - Arkansas Children'S Nutrition Research Center (ACNC)

Submitted to: Obesity
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/12/2015
Publication Date: 5/9/2015
Citation: Andres, A., Hull, H., Cleves, M., Casey, P., Badger, T., Shankar, K. 2015. Longitudinal body composition of children born to normal weight, overweight and obese mothers. Obesity. 23(6):1252-1258.

Interpretive Summary: This study investigated the relationship between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and offspring body composition trajectories during the first 6 years of life. Three hundred and twenty five infants were evaluated at age 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 years. Maternal obesity differentially impacted body fat, but not bone mineral content or density, of girls and boys. Boys born to obese mothers have higher body fat from ages 2 to 6 years compared to boys born to normal weight and overweight mothers, whereas body composition of girls born was not different across groups.

Technical Abstract: Objective: The longitudinal trajectories of body composition of children born to normal weight, overweight and obese mothers have not been evaluated using precise body composition methods. This study investigated the relationship between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and offspring body composition trajectories during the first 6 years of life. Design and Methods: Healthy infants (N=325) were assessed longitudinally (at ages 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 years) using Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry. Mixed-effects regression for repeated measures was used to model each continuous outcome as a function of maternal BMI and covariates (race, gestational age, birth weight and mode of infant feeding). Results: Maternal obesity differentially impacted body fat, but not bone mineral content or density, of girls and boys. Boys born to obese mothers have higher body fat from ages 2 to 6 years compared to boys born to normal weight and overweight mothers (P<0.05), whereas body composition of girls born was not different across groups during the first 6 years of life (P>0.05). Conclusions: This clinical observational study demonstrates for the first time a sexual dimorphism in offspring body composition based on maternal BMI, with a greater effect of maternal adiposity seen in boys than girls.