Gestational Weight Gain and Offspring Longitudinal Growth in Early Life

Abstract

Background: Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) increases the risk of childhood obesity, but little is known about its association with infant growth patterns. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the association between GWG and infant growth patterns. Methods: Pregnant women (n = 743) self-reported GWG at delivery, which we classified as inadequate, adequate or excessive based on the current guidelines. Offspring weight-for-age z-score (WAZ), length-for-age z-score (LAZ (with height-for-age (HAZ) in place of length at 36 months)) and body mass index z-score (BMIZ) were calculated at birth, 8, 18 and 36 months using the 2006 World Health Organization growth standards. Linear mixed models estimated the change in z-score from birth to 36 months by GWG. Results: The mean (SD) WAZ was -0.22 (1.20) at birth. Overall, WAZ and BMIZ increased from birth to, approximately, 24 months and decreased from 24 to 36 months, while LAZ/HAZ decreased from birth through 36 months. Excessive GWG was associated with higher offspring WAZ and BMIZ at birth, 8 and 36 months, and higher HAZ at 36 months, compared with adequate GWG. Compared with the same referent, inadequate GWG was associated with smaller WAZ and BMIZ at birth and 8 months. Conclusion: Excessive GWG may predispose infants to obesogenic growth patterns, while inadequate GWG may not have a lasting impact on infant growth.

Gestational weight gain and newborn anthropometric outcomes in rural Bangladesh

“…weekly weight gain was positively associated with HC. With regard to BMIZ, Diesel et al (2015) reported that newborns of women with inadequate GWG had lower BMIZ at birth (−0.44 z-score units) than newborns of women with adequate GWG, a difference that was considerably greater than the difference observed in our cohort (−0.17 z score units).…”

“…Only a few studies have examined the relationship between GWG and other anthropometric birth outcomes such as LAZ (Dahly et al, ; Diesel et al, ), HCZ (Wander et al, ), and BMIZ (Diesel et al, ). In Ireland, birth length did not differ significantly between infants of mothers with excessive GWG and those of mothers with inadequate or healthy GWG (Dahly et al, ).…”

“…In Ireland, birth length did not differ significantly between infants of mothers with excessive GWG and those of mothers with inadequate or healthy GWG (Dahly et al, ). In the United States, there were no significant differences in LAZ at birth when women with inadequate and adequate GWG were compared (Diesel et al, ). These results are in contrast with our findings showing that GWG was strongly related to birth length and LAZ and with those results reported by Gondwe et al () showing that average weekly weight gain was positively associated with birthweight and LAZ.…”

BMI growth trajectory from ages 2 to 6 years and its association with maternal obesity, diabetes during pregnancy, gestational weight gain, and breastfeeding

“…For the role of gestational weight gain, Sridhar et al found that children born to mothers with EGWG were 46% more likely to be affected by overweight or obesity at age 2 to 5 years old after adjustment of maternal prepregnancy BMI, GDM, and other covariates . Other studies also showed that EGWG was a risk factor associated with childhood obesity at earlier ages from birth to 3 years old or at 9 to 14 years old, although neither GDM and/or prepregnancy BMI were adjusted in these analyses. None of these studies used group‐based trajectory method.…”

“…Prenatal intrauterine environment and exposures have been thought to play an important role in childhood obesity . Maternal obesity measured by BMI at the initiation of pregnancy and gestational weight gain during pregnancy are associated with childhood obesity . Diabetes during pregnancy increases the risk of childhood obesity .…”