Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Concurrent Collection of Fetal Murine Brain and Serum to Assess Effects of Maternal Diet on Nutrition and Neurodevelopment in Neurofibromatosis Type 1
05:44

Concurrent Collection of Fetal Murine Brain and Serum to Assess Effects of Maternal Diet on Nutrition and Neurodevelopment in Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Published on: May 17, 2024

Does maternal smoking during pregnancy have a direct effect on future offspring obesity? Evidence from a prospective

Abdullah Al Mamun1, Debbie A Lawlor, Rosa Alati

  • 1Longitudinal Studies Unit, School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. mamun@sph.uq.edu.au

American Journal of Epidemiology
|June 16, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Maternal smoking during pregnancy is linked to higher childhood overweight and obesity. Quitting smoking during pregnancy mitigates this risk, highlighting the importance of smoking cessation for child health.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Maternal smoking during pregnancy is a significant public health concern.
  • The long-term effects of prenatal smoke exposure on offspring's metabolic health remain a critical research area.
  • Understanding the specific impact of smoking timing is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To prospectively investigate the association between maternal smoking patterns during and around pregnancy and offspring overweight and obesity.
  • To determine if smoking cessation during pregnancy alters the risk of adolescent obesity.
  • To provide evidence supporting anti-smoking initiatives for pregnant women and young women.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a population-based birth cohort of 3,253 children born in Brisbane, Australia (1981-1984).
  • Compared mean body mass index (BMI) and prevalence of overweight/obesity at age 14 years based on maternal smoking patterns (never, only outside pregnancy, during pregnancy).
  • Adjusted for a range of potential confounding factors to isolate the effect of maternal smoking.

Main Results:

  • Offspring of mothers who smoked during pregnancy exhibited significantly greater adolescent body mass index (BMI) and higher rates of overweight and obesity compared to offspring of non-smokers.
  • Adolescents whose mothers ceased smoking during pregnancy showed BMI and obesity levels similar to those whose mothers never smoked.
  • These findings remained consistent after accounting for confounding variables.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal smoking during pregnancy has a direct and detrimental effect on offspring's risk of developing overweight and obesity in adolescence.
  • Smoking cessation during pregnancy appears to eliminate the increased risk of adolescent obesity associated with maternal smoking.
  • The study reinforces the critical need for smoking cessation programs targeting pregnant women and prevention strategies for young women.

More Related Videos

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes03:19

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes

Published on: June 28, 2024

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale19:15

Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale

Published on: August 25, 2014

Related Concept Videos

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV01:26

Stress Prevention and Stress Management Techniques IV

Stress often leads to unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive drinking, and overeating, which offer short-term relief but ultimately increase long-term health risks. These behaviors create a cycle that temporarily lowers stress levels but can result in severe long-term health consequences. Breaking these habits is essential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall well-being. Three primary changes that support better health include quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake,...
Pathophysiology of Diabetes01:20

Pathophysiology of Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The four categories of diabetes are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, other specific types of diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility, suggesting a...
Obesity01:24

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in adipocytes...
Development of the Oral Microbiota01:28

Development of the Oral Microbiota

The establishment of the oral microbiome begins before birth, challenging the long-held belief that the fetal oral cavity is sterile. The presence of oral microbes such as Streptococcus and Fusobacterium in amniotic fluid suggests that microbial exposure may occur in utero, potentially through translocation from the maternal oral or gastrointestinal tract. This early colonization primes the neonatal immune system and sets the stage for subsequent microbial succession. Maternal health,...
Teratogenicity01:07

Teratogenicity

The ability of a drug to produce structural deformations and functional abnormalities in the developing embryo or the fetus is called teratogenicity, and the drug producing this effect is known as a teratogen. Teratogenic effects include stillbirth, miscarriage, intrauterine growth restriction, and neurocognitive delay. A teratogen may affect the embryo at different stages of development, which is important in determining the type and extent of the damage. During blastocyst formation, the early...
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance02:30

Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance

Diploid organisms inherit genetic material through chromosomes from both parents. Copies of the same gene are known as alleles. In most cases, both alleles are simultaneously expressed and allow various cellular processes to function optimally. If one of the alleles is missing or mutated, the expression of the other allele can compensate; however, this is not true for all genes.
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...