Parental Obesity and Offspring Pubertal Development: Project Viva

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Pediatric Health
• Obesity Research

Background:

• Parental obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m², is a growing public health concern.
• The impact of parental obesity on offspring pubertal development requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between preconception parental obesity and the timing of pubertal development in offspring.
• To determine if maternal or paternal obesity independently influences pubertal markers.

Main Methods:

• A prospective prebirth cohort of 1377 children in Boston was analyzed.
• Pubertal markers included age at peak height velocity (PHV), age at menarche, pubertal development score, and Tanner staging for adrenarche.
• Multivariable regression and marginal structural models were used to assess associations, controlling for confounders and offspring BMI.

Main Results:

• Maternal obesity alone was associated with earlier PHV and higher pubertal scores in boys, independent of offspring BMI.
• Paternal obesity alone showed no significant association with offspring pubertal outcomes.
• Biparental obesity was linked to earlier PHV in boys and earlier menarche in girls.

Conclusions:

• Maternal preconception obesity is a significant factor associated with accelerated pubertal development in sons.
• The observed association between maternal obesity and earlier puberty in boys is independent of the child's prepubertal BMI.
• Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms and implications of these findings.