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Hyperglycaemia in Pregnancy and Anthropometric Parameters in the Offspring at 10 Years: A Community-Based
Himali P Herath1, Rasika P Herath2, Rajitha Wickremasinghe3
1Department of Nutrition, Medical Research Institute, Colombo 00800, Sri Lanka.
Insights
Maternal diabetes during pregnancy (hyperglycaemia in pregnancy, HIP) significantly increases offspring risk for childhood overweight and obesity. This study in Sri Lanka confirms a link between intrauterine HIP exposure and higher BMI, waist circumference, and skinfold thickness in children aged 10-11.
Area of Science:
- Developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD)
- Maternal and child health
- Metabolic health
Background:
- Intrauterine hyperglycaemia (HIP) is linked to increased offspring risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
- Limited data exists for South Asian populations regarding childhood obesity risk from maternal diabetes in utero.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between hyperglycaemia in pregnancy (HIP) and offspring anthropometry at 10-11 years of age.
- To provide risk estimates for childhood obesity in a South Asian population exposed to maternal diabetes in utero.
Main Methods:
- A community-based retrospective cohort study in Sri Lanka.
- Ascertained maternal HIP status from antenatal records.
- Measured offspring height, weight, waist circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness (TSFT) at 10-11 years.
Main Results:
- Children exposed to HIP in utero (n=159) had significantly higher median BMI, waist circumference, and TSFT compared to unexposed children (n=253).
- Offspring of mothers with HIP were more likely to be overweight (aOR=2.6), have abdominal obesity (aOR=2.7), and high TSFT (aOR=2.2) at 10-11 years.
- Adjustments were made for maternal BMI, maternal age at delivery, and birth order.
Conclusions:
- Intrauterine exposure to hyperglycaemia in pregnancy is a significant determinant of overweight, high triceps skinfold thickness, and abdominal obesity in offspring.
- These findings highlight the long-term metabolic consequences of maternal diabetes in pregnancy for child health.
- The study underscores the need for interventions to manage maternal hyperglycaemia to mitigate offspring obesity risk.
Background:
Studies of developmental origins of health and disease have highlighted the possible role of intrauterine hyperglycaemia, increasing the future risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases in the offspring. There is limited evidence from South Asian populations for risk estimates for childhood obesity that are attributable to maternal diabetes in utero.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to determine the association between hyperglycaemia in pregnancy (HIP) and anthropometric parameters in the offspring at 10-11 years of age.
Methods:
A community-based retrospective cohort study was conducted in Colombo district, Sri Lanka. In the first stage, children born in 2005 were identified, and the availability of antenatal records was assessed. In the second stage, the exposure status of participants was ascertained based on antenatal records and predefined criteria. In the third stage, height, weight, waist circumference, and triceps skinfold thickness (TSFT) of eligible participants were measured to ascertain the outcome status. Background characteristics were collected by interviewing mothers. A 24-hour dietary recall and a 3-day diet diary were recorded.
Results:
159 children of mothers with HIP (exposed) and 253 children of mothers with no HIP (nonexposed) participated. Mean ages (SD) of exposed and unexposed groups were 10.9 (0.3) and 10.8 (0.3) years, respectively. The median BMI (17.6 vs 16.1, p < 0.001), waist circumference (63 cm vs 59.3 cm, p < 0.001), and triceps skinfold thickness (13.7 mm vs 11.2 mm, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in the exposed group. Offspring of women with HIP were more likely to be overweight (aOR = 2.6, 95% CI 1.4-4.9) and have abdominal obesity (aOR = 2.7, 95% CI 1.1-6.5) and high TSFT (aOR = 2.2, 95% CI 1.06-4.7) at 10-11 years than children who were not exposed after adjusting for maternal BMI, maternal age at delivery, and birth order.
Conclusions:
Intrauterine exposure to HIP is a significant determinant of overweight, high TSFT, and abdominal obesity in the offspring.
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