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Published on: June 13, 2021
Association between residential greenness exposure and excessive gestational weight gain: A dual-center birth cohort
Xuejin Li1, Yanshen Zhang2, Yijun Liu3
1Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
Background:
Although existing evidence indicates that residential greenness benefits maternal health, the relationship between trimester-specific residential greenness exposure and excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG), as well as the underlying mechanisms, remains unclear.
Objective:
To investigate the association between trimester-specific residential greenness exposure and EGWG.
Methods:
A dual-center birth cohort study was conducted in Guiyang and Foshan, China, including 85,470 participants. Residential greenness was assessed using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) within different buffers. EGWG was defined according to the Chinese national guidelines. Multivariable logistic and linear regression were used to evaluate the associations of trimester-specific residential greenness with EGWG and gestational weight gain (GWG). Mediation analyses were conducted to explore the potential mediating roles of air pollutants and temperature in the association between residential greenness and EGWG.
Results:
Higher residential greenness exposure was associated with a reduced risk of EGWG. In the pooled analysis, each interquartile range (IQR) increase in NDVI250m was associated with odds ratios (ORs) of 0.930 (95% CI: 0.913, 0.947) in the preconception, 0.962 (95% CI: 0.944, 0.980) in the first trimester, 0.955 (95% CI: 0.938, 0.973) in the second trimester, and 0.935 (95% CI: 0.919, 0.953) in the third trimester. Center-specific results were generally consistent, although the association was stronger and statistically more significant in Guiyang. Air pollutants and temperature may partially mediate the association between residential greenness and EGWG.
Conclusion:
Residential greenness exposure before and during pregnancy is associated with a reduced risk of EGWG, with air pollutants and temperature partially mediating the association.
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