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Paternal BMI in the preconception period, and the association with child zBMI
Arin C Deveci1,2, Charles D G Keown-Stoneman3,4, Jonathon L Maguire5,3,4,6,7,8
1Department of Nutritional Sciences, Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada. arin.c.deveci@gmail.com.
Insights
Paternal preconception BMI impacts boys' childhood weight trajectories, increasing obesity risk, especially when mothers are overweight. This highlights the importance of paternal pre-pregnancy weight for child health outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric obesity research
- Childhood growth and development
- Reproductive health and parental factors
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a growing concern, with rapid growth and excess weight in early years linked to future risks.
- While maternal preconception body mass index (BMI) is a known factor, the influence of paternal preconception BMI on child weight status requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the association between paternal preconception BMI and child BMI z-score (zBMI) growth rates, zBMI, and weight status in children aged 0-10 years.
- To explore potential sex-specific differences in these associations.
- To determine if maternal preconception weight status modifies the impact of paternal preconception BMI on child outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal cohort study involving 218 children (TARGet Kids!) with repeated height and weight measurements from birth to 10 years.
- Statistical models (piecewise linear mixed models, linear mixed models, logistic generalized estimation equations) were employed to assess paternal preconception BMI's association with child zBMI growth rates, mean zBMI, and weight status.
- Child sex and maternal preconception weight status were analyzed as potential effect modifiers.
Main Results:
- Paternal preconception BMI was significantly associated with higher zBMI growth rates, mean zBMI, and increased odds of overweight and obesity in boys, but not in girls.
- A 5 kg/m² increase in paternal BMI correlated with a 0.01 zBMI SD unit/month higher growth rate in boys born to overweight mothers.
- The association between paternal BMI and child weight status was more pronounced when mothers had preconception overweight or obesity compared to normal weight.
Conclusions:
- Paternal preconception BMI is a significant factor influencing boys' childhood growth trajectories, zBMI, and weight status.
- The impact of paternal preconception BMI is amplified when the mother is overweight or obese prior to conception.
- Further research is warranted to fully understand the sex-specific influences of paternal preconception weight on child development and obesity risk.
Background:
Rapid growth and excess weight in early childhood are associated with obesity risk. While maternal preconception BMI has been identified as a potential risk factor, the role of paternal preconception BMI is less clear.
Objectives:
To examine the association between paternal preconception BMI and age- and sex-standardized WHO BMI z-score (zBMI) growth rates, zBMI, and weight status, in 0- to 10-year-old children. To determine whether these associations differed by child sex and maternal preconception weight status.
Methods:
A longitudinal cohort study was conducted through The Applied Research Group for Kids (TARGet Kids!). Children (n = 218) underwent repeated measures of height and weight from birth to 10 years old. Piecewise linear mixed models were used to assess the association between paternal preconception BMI and child zBMI growth rates (zBMI SD units/month) between 0, 4, 30, 48 and 120 months of age. Linear mixed models were used to examine the association with child zBMI, and logistic generalized estimation equations (GEE) were used to assess the association with child weight status. Child sex and maternal preconception weight status were tested as effect modifiers.
Results:
Paternal preconception BMI was associated with child zBMI growth rate, mean zBMI and weight status in boys, but not girls. A 5 kg/m2 higher paternal preconception BMI was associated with approximately 0.01 zBMI SD unit/month higher growth rate for boys born to mothers with preconception overweight. Higher paternal BMI was associated with higher mean zBMI and increased odds of overweight and obesity in boys, with greater effects seen when mothers had preconception overweight compared to normal weight.
Conclusion:
Paternal preconception BMI was associated with child zBMI growth rate, zBMI and weight status in boys, with greater effects when the biological mother had preconception overweight or obesity. Further understanding of sex differences in paternal preconception weight effects in children is needed.
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