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Prenatal interventions and the development of childhood obesity
Sara Fortin-Miller1, Brendel Plonka1, Heather Gibbs1
1Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA.
Insights
Prenatal interventions targeting maternal diet or exercise show limited long-term effects on child adiposity. However, combined interventions initiated early in pregnancy may reduce offspring overweight risk in the first year.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Excess maternal adiposity during pregnancy is linked to increased childhood overweight and obesity.
- Prenatal interventions are explored to mitigate long-term offspring adiposity.
- Evidence on the lasting impact of these interventions on child adiposity is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review existing evidence on the long-term effects of prenatal interventions on offspring adiposity.
- To assess the influence of maternal diet, exercise, or combined interventions on child adiposity beyond birth.
Main Methods:
- A systematic review of follow-up studies from prenatal randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
- Included interventions focused on diet, exercise, or a combination thereof.
- Offspring adiposity-related outcomes assessed post-birth.
Main Results:
- 18 follow-up studies involving 4277 offspring were analyzed.
- Diet or exercise interventions alone did not consistently impact child adiposity.
- Three combined diet and exercise interventions showed reduced offspring adiposity at 3, 6, and 12 months.
Conclusions:
- No strong overall association between prenatal interventions and long-term child adiposity was found.
- Limited data due to study retention rates and heterogeneity in measures.
- Combined interventions early in pregnancy may offer benefits for offspring adiposity within the first year.
Background:
Excess maternal adiposity during pregnancy has lasting effects on child outcomes including increased risk of overweight/obesity, which drives disease development. Prenatal interventions are a potential avenue to curb childhood obesity rates, but little is known on their long-term influence on offspring adiposity.
Objective:
Review the evidence for lasting effects of prenatal interventions on child adiposity.
Methods:
Three databases were searched for follow-up studies of completed prenatal RCTs that involved a diet, exercise, or combined (diet and exercise) intervention, and assessed offspring adiposity-related outcomes beyond birth.
Results:
A total of 18 follow-up studies describing 4277 offspring were included. Anthropometrics were collected in all studies while body composition was measured in 15 of the studies. Diet or exercise interventions did not have a consistent significant effect on child adiposity. Three combined interventions resulted in lower levels of child adiposity at 3, 6, and 12 months.
Conclusions:
No strong association was found between prenatal diet, exercise, or combined interventions and child adiposity. Data are limited due to 63.6% overall retention rate for the follow-up studies and heterogeneity of intervention approach and child adiposity measures. Findings suggest combined interventions initiated early in pregnancy may decrease offspring adiposity in the first year of life.
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