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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
Summary
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 at-risk children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Public Health Nutrition
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Background:
- Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) affects maternal and child health outcomes.
- Early life factors can influence long-term child weight status.
- Food insecurity is a growing concern with potential health implications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the association between changes in food insecurity during the first two years of life and overweight/obesity in children aged 6-11 years.
- To investigate this association specifically in children born to mothers with a history of GDM.
- To identify potential early life interventions for preventing childhood obesity.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study (1033 mother-child dyads).
- Food insecurity assessed at 6-9 weeks, 1 year, and 2 years postpartum.
- Children categorized into persistent food security, persistent food insecurity, or transient food insecurity groups.
- Overweight, obesity, and severe obesity determined using height and weight at 6-11 years.
- Logistic regression used to estimate odds ratios for weight status based on food insecurity group.
Main Results:
- Among 748 children, 10% experienced persistent food insecurity.
- Children with persistent food insecurity had significantly higher odds of overweight (aOR=2.81), obesity (aOR=2.17), and severe obesity (aOR=2.62) compared to those with persistent food security.
- These associations remained significant (p<0.05).
Conclusions:
- Persistent food insecurity in early childhood is a significant risk factor for developing overweight, obesity, and severe obesity in children exposed to GDM.
- Screening for and addressing food insecurity in early childhood is a potential strategy to mitigate obesity risk in this vulnerable population.
- Interventions targeting food insecurity may play a role in preventing long-term metabolic complications in children of mothers with GDM.
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