Life Course Association of Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and Offspring's Height: Data From the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort

Abstract

PurposeTo evaluate the effect of (1) maternal smoking during pregnancy; and (2) partner smoking on offspring's height in infancy, childhood, and adolescence.MethodsAll hospital live births from 1993 (5,249) were identified, and these infants were followed up at several ages. Height for age, expressed as z-scores using the World Health Organization growth curves, was measured at all follow-up visits. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was collected retrospectively at birth and analyzed as number of cigarettes/day smoked categorized in four categories (never smoked, <10, 10–19, and ≥20 cigarettes/day). Partner smoking was analyzed as a dichotomous variable (No/Yes). Unadjusted and adjusted analyses were performed by use of linear regression.ResultsThe prevalence of self-reported maternal smoking during pregnancy was 33.5%. In the crude analysis, the number of cigarettes/day smoked by the mother during pregnancy negatively affected offspring's height in infancy, childhood, and adolescence. After adjustment for confounders and mediators, this association remained statistically significant, although the magnitude of the regression coefficients was reduced. Paternal smoking was not associated with offspring's height in the adjusted analyses.ConclusionsIn addition to the well-known harmful effects of smoking, maternal smoking during pregnancy negatively affects offspring's height. Public health policies aimed at continuing to reduce the prevalence of maternal smoking during pregnancy must be encouraged.

Prospective Findings From the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study

“…The first four articles of the supplement focus on early-life predictors of later health and behavior [1][2][3][4]. Wells et al show that infant weight and length gains were associated primarily with larger size in adolescence rather than increased adiposity, although later childhood gains in weight and height were predictors of fat mass [1].…”

“…The articles herein analyze data collected from conception through age 15 from 4,500 individuals born in the city of Pelotas, Brazil, in 1993. The analyses provide us with not just a snapshot of adolescents' current health status, but rather an entire movie depicting the life-course trajectories and the emergence of health outcomes of this population during adolescence.The first four articles of the supplement focus on early-life predictors of later health and behavior [1][2][3][4]. Wells et al show that infant weight and length gains were associated primarily with larger size in adolescence rather than increased adiposity, although later childhood gains in weight and height were predictors of fat mass [1].…”

“…Wells et al show that infant weight and length gains were associated primarily with larger size in adolescence rather than increased adiposity, although later childhood gains in weight and height were predictors of fat mass [1]. In the second article, MartÎnez-Mesa et al report that maternal smoking during pregnancy negatively affects an offspring's height in adolescence [2]. The third and fourth articles report on the effect of socioeconomic change from birth to adolescence [3,4].…”

Stress and the Brain: How Experiences and Exposures Across the Life Span Shape Health, Development, and Learning in Adolescence

“…Wells et al show that infant weight and length gains were associated primarily with larger size in adolescence rather than increased adiposity, although later childhood gains in weight and height were predictors of fat mass [1]. In the second article, Martínez-Mesa et al report that maternal smoking during pregnancy negatively affects an offspring's height in adolescence [2]. The third and fourth articles report on the effect of socioeconomic change from birth to adolescence [3,4].…”

Prospective Findings From the 1993 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study

“…The first four articles of the supplement focus on early-life predictors of later health and behavior [1–4] . Wells et al show that infant weight and length gains were associated primarily with larger size in adolescence rather than increased adiposity, although later childhood gains in weight and height were predictors of fat mass [1] .…”