Prenatal dietary exposures and offspring body size from 6 months to 18 years: A systematic review

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Jacqueline Litvak1, Niyati Parekh1,2, Andrea Deierlein1,2

  • 1Department of Epidemiology, College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA.

Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology
|February 4, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Prenatal diet impacts childhood obesity. A Mediterranean diet during pregnancy may reduce offspring body size, while refined carbohydrates are linked to obesity. Further research is needed.

Area of Science:

  • Nutrition Science
  • Pediatric Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Maternal diet during pregnancy is a critical factor influencing fetal development.
  • In utero exposures can have long-lasting effects on offspring health, including obesity risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically evaluate the association between prenatal dietary exposures and offspring body size from infancy through adolescence.
  • To synthesize evidence on how maternal diet during pregnancy relates to childhood body mass index (BMI) and related measures.

Main Methods:

  • A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed and Web of Science databases (January 2010-March 2018) adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
  • Prospective cohort studies examining dietary patterns, specific foods, macronutrients, or beverages during pregnancy and offspring body size were included.
  • Data extraction and quality assessment were performed using predefined fields and the NHLBI's Quality Assessment Tool.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria, analyzing various prenatal dietary factors.
  • Maternal consumption of a Mediterranean diet during pregnancy was associated with reduced offspring body size.
  • Conversely, intake of refined carbohydrates during pregnancy was linked to increased offspring obesity risk.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal adherence to a Mediterranean diet and limiting refined carbohydrate intake during pregnancy may positively influence offspring body size trajectory up to 18 years.
  • The findings underscore the complexity of prenatal nutrition's role in offspring adiposity, with mixed results for other dietary components.
Abstract

Keywords:
adipositycarbonated beverageschildhood obesitymediterranean dietn-3 polyunsaturated fatty acidsprenatal nutritional physiology

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