Maternal obesity and offspring body composition by indirect methods: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Reproductive Health

Background:

• Maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain are critical factors influencing offspring health.
• Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern with long-term implications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize evidence on the association between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and/or gestational weight gain and offspring body composition in childhood.
• To quantify the effect of pre-pregnancy BMI on offspring fat-free mass, body fat percent, and fat mass through meta-analysis.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review including cohort studies, case-control studies, and randomized controlled trials.
• Meta-analyses were performed using random-effects models to assess the impact of pre-pregnancy BMI on offspring body composition.
• Offspring body composition was measured using indirect methods.

Main Results:

• Twenty studies were included in the review.
• Most studies reported a positive association between maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and offspring body fat.
• Meta-analysis indicated higher offspring body fat percent (0.31% points), fat mass (0.38 kg), and fat-free mass (0.18 kg) in infants of overweight/obese women compared to normal BMI women.

Conclusions:

• Evidence suggests that maternal overweight before pregnancy is associated with increased adiposity in offspring.
• This highlights the importance of maternal pre-pregnancy weight management for child health outcomes.