Maternal Physical Activity During Pregnancy, Child Leisure-Time Activity, and Child Weight Status at 3 to 9 Years

We sought to evaluate the effects of maternal leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) during pregnancy and current child LTPA on child weight status.

Women with term pregnancies in the Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health Study (1998-2004) were followed-up. A race-stratified subset of participants (cohort A) received extensive follow-up efforts leading to better response rates (592/926 = 64%) and diversity. The remainder (Cohort B) had a lower response rate (418/1629 = 26%). Women reported child height, weight and LTPA at 3 to 9 years (inactive vs. active), and recalled pregnancy LTPA (inactive vs. active). A 4-category maternal/child LTPA variable was created (reference: active pregnancy + active child). Children were classified as healthy weight, overweight, or obese using age- and sex-specific Body Mass Index percentiles. Logistic regression was used to assess the odds of child obesity (reference: healthy weight).

In unadjusted analyses, pregnancy inactivity increased odds for obesity when the child was active (1.6 [95% CI, 1.0-2.6] in Cohort A; 2.1 [95% CI, 1.1-4.0] in Cohort B), and more so when the child was inactive (2.4 [95% CI, 1.2-4.9] in Cohort A; 3.0 [95% CI, 1.0-8.8] in Cohort B). Adjustment for covariates attenuated results to statistical nonsignificance but the direction of relations remained.

Maternal inactivity during pregnancy may contribute to child obesity risk.