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Pediatrics

Maternal metabolic factors during pregnancy predict early childhood growth trajectories and obesity risk: the CANDLE Study

Abstract

Background

We investigated the individual and additive effects of three modifiable maternal metabolic factors, including pre-pregnancy overweight/obesity, gestational weight gain (GWG), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), on early childhood growth trajectories and obesity risk.

Methods

A total of 1425 mother–offspring dyads (953 black and 472 white) from a longitudinal birth cohort were included in this study. Latent class growth modeling was performed to identify the trajectories of body mass index (BMI) from birth to 4 years in children. Poisson regression models were used to examine the associations between the maternal metabolic risk factors and child BMI trajectories and obesity risk at 4 years.

Results

We identified three discrete BMI trajectory groups, characterized as rising-high-BMI (12.6%), moderate-BMI (61.0%), or low-BMI (26.4%) growth. Both maternal pre-pregnancy obesity (adjusted relative risk [adjRR] = 1.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36–2.83) and excessive GWG (adjRR = 1.71, 95% CI: 1.13–2.58) were significantly associated with the rising-high-BMI trajectory, as manifested by rapid weight gain during infancy and a stable but high BMI until 4 years. All three maternal metabolic indices were significantly associated with childhood obesity at age 4 years (adjRR for pre-pregnancy obesity = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.62–3.10; adjRR for excessive GWG = 1.46, 95% CI: 1.01–2.09; and adjRR for GDM = 2.14, 95% = 1.47–3.12). In addition, risk of rising-high BMI trajectory or obesity at age 4 years was stronger among mothers with more than one metabolic risk factor. We did not observe any difference in these associations by race.

Conclusion

Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity, excessive GWG, and GDM individually and jointly predict rapid growth and obesity at age 4 years in offspring, regardless of race. Interventions targeting maternal obesity and metabolism may prevent or slow the rate of development of childhood obesity.

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Acknowledgements

The CANDLE study was supported by the Urban Child Institute, the University of Tennessee Heath Science Center, and NIH (1R01HL109977) grants.

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Correspondence to Qi Zhao.

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Hu, Z., Tylavsky, F.A., Han, J.C. et al. Maternal metabolic factors during pregnancy predict early childhood growth trajectories and obesity risk: the CANDLE Study. Int J Obes 43, 1914–1922 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-019-0326-z

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