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Maternal glucose concentration during pregnancy predicts fat and lean mass of prepubertal offspring

Paula C Chandler-Laney1, Nikki C Bush, Dwight J Rouse

  • 1Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA. pchandle@uab.edu

Diabetes Care
|January 27, 2011
PubMed

Insights

High maternal glucose during pregnancy is linked to increased lean mass and body fat in children. This association persists regardless of the child's energy intake or activity levels, highlighting the impact of the intrauterine environment on offspring body composition.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Human Physiology

Background:

  • Intrauterine exposure to elevated maternal glucose is a known risk factor for childhood obesity.
  • The specific impact of maternal glucose on offspring body composition (i.e., fat vs. lean mass) requires further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between maternal glucose concentrations during pregnancy and offspring body composition in children aged 5-10 years.
  • To determine if the association between maternal glucose and children's adiposity is independent of their energy intake, energy expenditure, or physical activity levels.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective retrieval of maternal glucose screening data (1-hour post-load) from medical records.
  • Assessment of offspring body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).
  • Measurement of children's resting energy expenditure (REE) via indirect calorimetry, physical activity via accelerometry, and energy intake via 24-hour diet recalls.

Main Results:

  • Maternal glucose concentration during pregnancy showed a significant positive association with both children's lean mass (P < 0.05) and adiposity (P < 0.05).
  • The link between higher maternal glucose and increased offspring adiposity remained statistically significant and independent of the child's REE, physical activity levels, and energy intake (P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

  • Intrauterine exposure to relatively high maternal glucose concentrations is associated with increased lean mass and adiposity in prepubertal children.
  • These findings suggest that maternal glycemic environment during pregnancy plays a crucial role in shaping offspring body composition, independent of postnatal factors.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the underlying biological mechanisms mediating these effects.
Abstract

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