Physiological response during exercise is preserved in children exposed to a suboptimal gestational environment

This study investigated whether exposure to suboptimal gestational factors (SGFs) alters mechanical efficiency (ME) and substrate oxidation during rest and exercise in children as a mechanism contributing to obesity.

Data from the Quebec Adiposity and Lifestyle Investigation in Youth cohort were used. Children aged 8 to 10 years performed an incremental maximal cycling test with indirect calorimetry. Their ME was measured during submaximal and maximal effort. The substrate oxidation during rest and submaximal effort was also computed. ME and substrate oxidation results between children exposed to each SGF during pregnancy (gestational diabetes mellitus: n = 68; hypertensive disorders: n = 49; maternal smoking: n = 77) and nonexposed children (n = 370) were compared.

No difference was observed for ME during submaximal (F_[3,540] = 0.46, p = 0.713) and maximal effort (F_[3,545] = 0.86, p = 0.463) between exposed and nonexposed children. The percentage contributions of lipids and carbohydrates did not differ during rest (F_[3,545] =1.68, p = 0.169) or submaximal exercise (F_[3,544] = 0.31, p = 0.534) between exposed and nonexposed children.

Children exposed to investigated SGFs display a similar physiological response regarding ME and substrate oxidation during rest and exercise compared to nonexposed children. Future studies should confirm these novel results and continue investigating other research avenues to explain the higher risk of obesity in this population.