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Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes
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Author Spotlight: Studying the Impact of Maternal Dietary Deficiencies on Long-Term Offspring Health Outcomes

Published on: June 28, 2024

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Maternal Metals Exposure and Infant Weight Trajectory: The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS)

Yu Taniguchi1, Shin Yamazaki1, Shoji F Nakayama1

  • 1Japan Environment and Children's Study Programme Office, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Japan.

Environmental Health Perspectives
|December 14, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Maternal exposure to lead, mercury, selenium, and manganese affects infant weight trajectories in the first three years of life. This study highlights the impact of metallic elements on early childhood growth patterns.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Pediatrics
  • Toxicology

Background:

  • The association between maternal exposure to metallic elements and infant weight trajectory patterns from birth is not well-understood.
  • Investigating this link is crucial for understanding early childhood development and potential environmental influences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify distinct infant weight trajectory patterns in the first three years of life.
  • To examine the association between maternal blood levels of specific metallic elements (lead, cadmium, mercury, selenium, manganese) and these identified growth trajectories.

Main Methods:

  • A longitudinal study of 103,099 pregnant women in Japan (Japan Environment and Children Study).
  • Maternal blood levels of metallic elements were measured during pregnancy.
  • Infant weight trajectories of 99,014 children were tracked until age 3, analyzed using latent-class group-based trajectory models.
  • Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess associations between maternal metallic element levels and weight trajectories, adjusting for confounders.

Main Results:

  • Five distinct infant weight trajectory patterns were identified.
  • Higher maternal lead and selenium levels were associated with increased odds of poorer weight trajectories (very small to small).
  • Higher maternal mercury levels were linked to decreased odds of certain trajectories, while higher manganese levels were associated with increased odds of moderately large trajectories.

Conclusions:

  • Maternal blood levels of lead, mercury, selenium, and manganese significantly influence infant growth trajectory patterns during the first three years of life.
  • These findings underscore the importance of monitoring and mitigating exposure to metallic elements during pregnancy for optimal infant development.
Abstract

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