Background Child eating behaviours can negatively contribute to the development of childhood obesity. This study investigated associations between breastfeeding habits, maternal eating behaviours and child eating behaviours, in 5-year-old children. Methods Secundigravida women were recruited to the ROLO dietary randomised controlled trial (Dublin, Ireland) and were followed up with their children to 5 years of age. Breastfeeding exposure and duration were obtained at postnatal and infant follow-up at 2 and 6 months and 2 and 5 years. At 5 years, maternal and child eating behaviours were measured using the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire and the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire, respectively. Regression determined associations between breastfeeding habits and maternal eating behaviours with child eating behaviours, controlling for RCT group, maternal education level, maternal BMI at 5 years, childcare exposure and child BMI centile at 5-year follow-up. Results There were 230 mother and child pairs analysed. One hundred and fifty-eight mothers had initiated breastfeeding. Median breastfeeding duration was 22 (IQR 33) weeks. Children who were never breastfed were more likely to express a desire to drink (B = −1.01, p = 0.022). Longer breastfeeding duration was associated with lower food responsiveness (B = −1.71, p = 0.003). Maternal uncontrolled eating was positively associated with child food responsiveness, emotional overeating and emotional undereating (B = 0.21, p < 0.001; B = 0.14, p = 0.005; B = 0.14, p = 0.005, respectively). Maternal emotional eating was associated with child emotional overeating and undereating (B = 0.27, p < 0.001, B = 0.29, p = 0.004, respectively). Conclusion Not breastfeeding and short breastfeeding duration may contribute to the development of obesogenic eating behaviours in children, alongside maternal eating behaviours including uncontrolled and emotional eating. These ‘food approach’ eating behaviours may increase risk of overweight/obesity as they are associated with increased energy intake, hence the importance of research surrounding eating behaviours.
We investigated the effect of an antenatal lifestyle intervention of a low-glycaemic index (GI) diet and physical activity on energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DIITM) and explored its relationship with maternal and child health in women with overweight and obesity. This was a secondary analysis of 434 mother−child pairs from the Pregnancy Exercise and Nutrition Study (PEARS) trial in Dublin, Ireland. E-DIITM scores were calculated for early (10–16 weeks) and late (28 weeks) pregnancy. Outcomes included lipids, inflammation markers, insulin resistance, mode of delivery, infant size, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes. T-tests were used to assess changes in E-DIITM. Chi-square, correlations, and multiple regression were employed to investigate relationships with outcomes. The mean (SD) age of participants was 32.45 (4.29) years with median (IQR) BMI 28.25 (26.70, 31.34) kg/m2. There was no change in E-DIITM in the controls (−0.14 (1.19) vs. −0.07 (1.09), p = 0.465) but E-DIITM reduced by 10% after the intervention (0.01 (1.07) vs −0.75 (1.05), p < 0.001). No associations were found between early pregnancy E-DIITM and maternal and child outcomes, except for increased odds of adverse cardiometabolic phenotype in women who delivered male (OR = 2.29, p = 0.010) but not female infants (OR = 0.99, p = 0.960). A low-GI antenatal intervention can reduce the inflammatory potential of diets. Sex differences should be explored further in future research.
Summary Introduction Childhood obesity remains a significant global health concern. Early intervention through maternal diet during pregnancy represents a possible mode of improving childhood adiposity. Aim To examine the impact of a low glycaemic index diet during pregnancy on offspring anthropometry at 5 years of age. Methods This is a secondary analysis of 387 children from the ROLO pregnancy study 5 years' post‐intervention. At the follow‐up, BMI, circumferences and skinfold thickness were obtained. A subgroup of 103 children had a DXA scan completed. Statistical analyses included Independent sample t tests, Mann Whitney‐U tests and chi‐square tests to compare the intervention and control groups. Adjusted analysis using linear regression controlled for significant confounders between participants who returned at follow‐up and those that did not. Results There were no significant differences in BMI (16.05 kg/m2 vs 16.16 kg/m2, P = 0.403), general adiposity (36.60 mm vs 36.00 mm, P = 0.920), central adiposity (0.61 mm vs 0.60 mm, P = 0.540), total fat mass (4.91 kg vs 4.71 kg, P = 0.377) or total lean mass (14.29 kg vs 14.56 kg, P = 0.386) between the intervention and control groups, respectively. No associations were observed in 5‐year outcomes in adjusted analyses when controlling for maternal age at delivery, maternal early pregnancy BMI, maternal education and gestational age. Conclusion Our study found no evidence that a low glycaemic index diet in pregnancy impacts offspring anthropometry 5 years' post‐intervention. Therefore, modulating maternal carbohydrate quality in pregnancy may not be an appropriate approach to improving weight status in childhood. Future research should investigate the impact of other dietary practices in pregnancy on child health.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.