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Persistent Food Insecurity and Overweight/Obesity Risk in Offspring of Individuals With Gestational Diabetes

Keally Haushalter1, Jaimie N Davis1, Yeyi Zhu2,3

  • 1Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA.

Pediatric Obesity
|July 27, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Persistent food insecurity in early childhood significantly increases the risk of overweight, obesity, and severe obesity in children born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Early screening for food insecurity is crucial for identifying at-risk youth.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Public Health Nutrition
  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine

Background:

  • Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in mothers poses risks for offspring's long-term health.
  • Early life food insecurity is a potential environmental factor influencing childhood obesity.
  • Understanding the interplay between GDM exposure and food insecurity is critical for preventative strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between varying levels of food insecurity during the first two years of life and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children aged 6-11 years.
  • To specifically examine this relationship in children born to mothers with a history of GDM.
  • To identify potential targets for intervention to mitigate obesity risk in this vulnerable population.

Main Methods:

  • Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study involving 1033 mother-child dyads.
  • Food insecurity was assessed at multiple time points: 6-9 weeks, 1 year, and 2 years postpartum.
  • Children were categorized into persistent food security, persistent food insecurity, and transient food insecurity groups. Overweight, obesity, and severe obesity were determined at 6-11 years using BMI percentiles. Statistical analyses included linear and logistic regressions.

Main Results:

  • The study included 748 children, with 72% experiencing persistent food security, 18% transient food insecurity, and 10% persistent food insecurity.
  • Children with persistent food insecurity showed significantly higher odds of being overweight (aOR=2.81), obese (aOR=2.17), and severely obese (aOR=2.62) compared to those with persistent food security.
  • These associations remained significant (p < 0.05), highlighting a strong link between early life food insecurity and later obesity in this cohort.

Conclusions:

  • Persistent food insecurity in the first two years of life is a significant risk factor for overweight, obesity, and severe obesity in children born to mothers with GDM.
  • Screening for and addressing food insecurity in early childhood is a vital strategy for identifying and supporting children at elevated risk.
  • Interventions targeting food insecurity may play a key role in preventing childhood obesity within GDM-exposed populations.
Abstract

Keywords:
“food insecurity”“gestational diabetes”“longitudinal”“obesity”

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