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Maternal body mass index, neonatal lung function and respiratory symptoms in childhood

Jacobien B Eising1, Cuno S P M Uiterwaal2, Cornelis K van der Ent3

  • 1Dept of Paediatric Pulmonology, Wilhelmina Children's Hospital, University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands j.eising@umcutrecht.nl.

The European Respiratory Journal
|August 22, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Maternal obesity increases offspring wheezing risk, partly due to impaired early lung function. This link diminishes by age five, with later wheezing associated with child

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Maternal obesity is a growing concern linked to adverse child health outcomes.
  • Previous research suggests a correlation between maternal obesity and increased childhood wheezing.
  • The role of neonatal lung function in mediating this association requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether impaired neonatal lung function mediates the association between maternal obesity and offspring wheezing.
  • To examine the influence of maternal body mass index (BMI) on wheezing symptoms and healthcare utilization until age five.
  • To explore potential differences in this association based on atopic status.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective birth cohort study of 2606 children.
  • Measurement of neonatal lung function.
  • Collection of wheezing symptom data via questionnaires.
  • Analysis of general practitioner records for wheezing-related consultations and prescriptions.
  • Statistical modeling to assess mediation by lung function and anthropometrics.

Main Results:

  • Higher maternal BMI was associated with increased risk of wheezing in the first year of life (IRR 1.023).
  • Impaired neonatal lung function partially explained this association in the first year (IRR 1.015).
  • Childhood anthropometrics at age five largely explained wheezing consultations, while prescriptions remained unexplained by measured factors.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal obesity is linked to increased offspring wheezing, particularly in the first year of life.
  • Neonatal lung function plays a significant mediating role in the first year, especially for nonatopic children.
  • The influence of early lung function wanes by age five, with other factors becoming more prominent in explaining later wheezing illnesses.

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