Fetal Overnutrition and Adolescent Hepatic Fat Fraction: the Exploring Perinatal Outcomes in Children Study

To determine if fetal overnutrition resulting from maternal obesity or gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with increased liver fat during adolescence, adjusting for past and current metabolic risk factors.

Data come from a historical prospective cohort study (Exploring Perinatal Outcomes in Children) of 254 mother-child pairs in Colorado who participated in 2 research visits at T1 (mean age 10.4, SD = 1.5 years) and at T2 (mean age 16.4, SD = 1.5 years), and had complete exposure and outcome data. Multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the effects of pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and GDM on hepatic fat fraction (HFF) by magnetic resonance imaging at T2.

Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity (BMI 30+) was significantly associated (β = 1.59, CI = 0.66, 2.52) with increased HFF relative to mothers with normal pre-pregnancy weight (BMI <25) independent of maternal GDM and sociodemographic factors. Moreover, this association was independent of T2 and T1 metabolic risk factors (acanthosis nigricans, BMI, fasting glucose) (β = 1.03, CI = 0.10, 1.97). Prenatal GDM exposure was not associated with HFF in either unadjusted or adjusted models.

Maternal pre-pregnancy obesity was associated with increased HFF in offspring independent of childhood and adolescent adiposity. Intervention studies are needed to test the hypothesis that maternal obesity is a modifiable risk factor for childhood fatty liver disease.