Gestational Weight Gain and Health Outcomes 18 Years Later in Urban Black Women

Abstract

Objectives Excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) is associated with higher body mass index (BMI) later in life. Increased BMI is associated with health problems, but there is limited evidence linking GWG directly to later health in black women. We examined the association between GWG and health conditions 18 years after a first birth. Methods This study was a secondary data analysis of 467 urban black women, enrolled during pregnancy (1990 – 1991). GWG was the difference between self-reported pre-pregnancy weight and measured weight at delivery. Hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and self-reported health were assessed with self-report and measurements of blood pressure, height, and weight, approximately 18 years after first childbirth. Results Higher pre-pregnancy BMI was associated with increased probability of each health condition. Higher GWG was associated with hypertension for women with a pre-pregnancy BMI under 21.3 kg/m2 (P<.05) and obesity for women with a pre-pregnancy BMI under 25.9 kg/m2 (P<.05). Diabetes and poor health were not associated with GWG. Conclusions GWG may impact a mother’s hypertension and obesity status 18 years after childbirth for underweight and normal weight women.

A maternal “mixed, high sugar” dietary pattern is associated with fetal growth

“…Although maternal BMI at baseline and GWG were not shown to influence the associations between diet and fetal growth in our study, these were shown to have independent effects on fetal growth parameters (specifically, femur length and abdominal circumference) and are established predictors of birth size overall (Godfrey et al, 2017;Holland et al, 2015;Wrottesley et al, 2018). Although our findings show that a modified dietary pattern during pregnancy-particularly focused on lower intakes of added (or free) sugar items-may be an effective strategy for reducing the risk of fetal overgrowth, this does not negate the importance of establishing healthy weight profiles prior to conception and effectively managing weight gain throughout pregnancy.…”

“…In urban African women, maternal dietary patterns during pregnancy have been associated with gestational weight gain (GWG) and with newborn growth and adiposity (Wrottesley, Ong, Pisa, & Norris, 2018;Wrottesley, Pisa, & Norris, 2017), potentially influencing long-term risk of noncommunicable diseases for mothers and their offspring (Chiavaroli, Derraik, Hofman, & Cutfield, 2016;Godfrey et al, 2017;Holland, Groth, & Kitzman, 2015;Mochizuki, Hariya, Honma, & Goda, 2017). Specifically, in a longitudinal birth cohort study (Soweto First 1000-Day Study; S1000), we identified three distinct dietary patterns in women during pregnancy using principal component analysis (PCA); namely "western," "traditional," and "mixed" (Wrottesley et al, 2017).…”

Effect of Gestational Weight Gain and Prepregnancy Body Mass Index in Adolescent Mothers on Weight and Body Mass Index of Adolescent Offspring

“…We also included two interactions based on previous work: the sex of the child and the intervention, and gestational weight gain and the intervention [36]. Models were run with and without an interaction between gestational weight gain and the mother’s prepregnancy BMI, based on a previous study [36].…”

“…We also included two interactions based on previous work: the sex of the child and the intervention, and gestational weight gain and the intervention [36]. Models were run with and without an interaction between gestational weight gain and the mother’s prepregnancy BMI, based on a previous study [36]. Interactions between gestational weight gain and both smoking and age were examined because each of these covariates could potentially moderate the relationship between gestational weight gain and later child BMI: smoking could impact the relationship because it increases the risk of a lower birth weight infant; maternal age could impact the relationship because young mothers who are still developing physically might gain differently.…”

The influence of psychological factors on postpartum weight retention 12 months post-birth

“…Weight gain in women of reproductive age contributes to obesity in child-bearing women (Lan-Pidhainy, Nohr, & Rasmussen, 2013;Melzer & Schutz, 2010). Postpartum weight retention (PPWR) contributes to this health issue (Holland, Groth, & Kitzman, 2015;Montpetit, Plourde, Cohen, & Koski, 2012). One in five women experience substantial PPWR (Althuizen, van Poppel, de Vries, Seidell, & van Mechelen, 2011), classified as the retention of 5 kg or more above pre-pregnancy weight at 6 months and one year after delivery (Gunderson et al, 2008;Phillips, King, & Skouteris, 2014).…”