Maternal salivary cortisol levels during pregnancy are positively associated with overweight children

Hohwü, Lena; Henriksen, Tine Brink; Grønborg, Therese Koops; Hedegaard, Morten; Sørensen, Thorkild I A; Obel, Carsten

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.11.006

Cited by 25 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…41 One of the most described underlying mechanisms includes fetal exposure to increased cortisol levels due to altered activation of the maternal hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in response to both physiological and psychological distress. 142,146 Fetal exposure to excess cortisol may lead to altered programming of the fetal HPA axis, which, in turn, may be associated with adverse birth outcomes and could have long-term child health consequences. 19,[142][143][144][145][146][147][148][149][150] A linear relation was shown between fetal and maternal cortisol concentrations.…”

Section: Underlying Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…142,146 Fetal exposure to excess cortisol may lead to altered programming of the fetal HPA axis, which, in turn, may be associated with adverse birth outcomes and could have long-term child health consequences. 19,[142][143][144][145][146][147][148][149][150] A linear relation was shown between fetal and maternal cortisol concentrations. 151 Cortisol stimulates corticotropin-releasing hormone secretion and production, resulting in positive maternal and fetal feedback loops and increased cortisol concentrations, potentially further amplifying the effect.…”

Section: Underlying Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy and childhood health outcomes: a narrative review

Vehmeijer

Guxens

Duijts

et al. 2018

J Dev Orig Health Dis

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Maternal psychological distress is common in pregnancy and may influence the risk of adverse outcomes in children. Psychological distress may cause a suboptimal intrauterine environment leading to growth and developmental adaptations of the fetus and child. In this narrative review, we examined the influence of maternal psychological distress during pregnancy on fetal outcomes and child cardiometabolic, respiratory, atopic and neurodevelopment-related health outcomes. We discussed these findings from an epidemiological and life course perspective and provided recommendations for future studies. The literature in the field of maternal psychological distress and child health outcomes is extensive and shows that exposure to stress during pregnancy is associated with multiple adverse child health outcomes. Because maternal psychological distress is an important and potential modifiable factor during pregnancy, it should be a target for prevention strategies in order to optimize fetal and child health. Future studies should use innovative designs and strategies in order to address the issue of causality.

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Section: Underlying Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Underlying Mechanismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy and childhood health outcomes: a narrative review

Vehmeijer

Guxens

Duijts

et al. 2018

J Dev Orig Health Dis

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Children of mothers with depressive symptoms are more likely to be obese or overweight in infancy (103,104), childhood (105,106), and adolescence (107). Prenatal exposure to maternal stress and distress has been shown to be associated with both children's obesity and rapid postnatal growth (108,109). Proposed mechanisms for the association include infant feeding practices (110), mother-infant interaction (111), mother-infant feeding interactions (112), parenting style (113), and a direct effect of stressors leading to central adiposity via arousal of the child's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (86).…”

Section: Psychosocial Vulnerabilitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biological, environmental, and social influences on childhood obesity

2015

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The prevalence of childhood obesity has increased globally over the past three decades, with evidence of recent leveling off in developed countries. Reduction in the, currently high, prevalence of obesity will require a full understanding of the biological and social pathways to obesity in order to develop appropriately targeted prevention strategies in early life. Determinants of childhood obesity include individual level factors, including biological, social, and behavioral risks, acting within the influence of the child's family environment, which is, in turn, imbedded in the context of the community environment. These influences act across childhood, with suggestions of early critical periods of biological and behavioral plasticity. There is evidence of sex and gender differences in the responses of boys and girls to their environments. The evidence that determinants of childhood obesity act at many levels and at different stages of childhood is of policy relevance to those planning early health promotion and primary prevention programs as it suggests the need to address the individual, the family, the physical environment, the social environment, and social policy. The purpose of this narrative review is to summarize current, and emerging, literature in a multilevel, life course framework. INTRODUCTIONThe prevalence of childhood obesity has increased globally over the past three decades, with more rapid increases recently occurring in low-income countries (1). In the United States, more than 30% of children are now overweight or obese (1), with evidence that the prevalence has leveled off (2). Children and adolescents are exhibiting obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, elevated blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and higher fasting insulin levels (3-6). In addition, childhood obesity predicts adulthood obesity and its known health consequences (7,8). Treatment of obesity is notoriously difficult, with weight loss rarely sustained in adults (9). Therapeutic interventions in childhood are somewhat more successful, particularly if the intervention occurs prior to onset of puberty (10). However, real and sustained progress in combating the obesity epidemic will require a full understanding of the biological and social pathways to obesity in order to develop appropriately targeted prevention strategies in early life.Pathways to childhood obesity are complex. It is therefore helpful to discuss determinants of obesity within a conceptual framework. A multilevel conceptual model, Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Systems Theory (11), has previously been applied to the conceptualization of childhood obesity by Davison and Birch (12). This framework depicts individual-level factors, including biological, social, and behavioral risks, as acting within the influence of the child's family environment, which is, in turn imbedded in the context of the community environment. It is also helpful to consider critical periods for obesity risk and, as will be further illustrated in a later section,...

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“…The scientific premise of our work, that NICU-based environmental exposures contribute to the abnormal development of preterm children, is supported by data linking exposures during the period of development that occurs while preterm infants are in the NICU with outcomes in term-born populations94 98–108; the heightened exposure to specific toxicants in the NICU79 82 88 109–111 and our own group’s early findings 26 92. Traditional NICU neurodevelopmental research has focused on medical complications without accounting for the role of the NICU environment6 7 16 112 113 and has failed to yield highly predictive outcome models.…”

Section: Strengths and Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 90%

Cohort profile: the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Hospital Exposures and Long-Term Health (NICU-HEALTH) cohort, a prospective preterm birth cohort in New York City

et al. 2019

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PurposeThe Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Hospital Exposures and Long-Term Health (NICU-HEALTH) longitudinal preterm birth cohort studies the impact of the NICU exposome on early-life development. NICU-HEALTH collects multiple biospecimens, complex observational and survey data and comprehensive multisystem outcome assessments to allow measurement of the impact of modifiable environmental exposures during the preterm period on neurodevelopmental, pulmonary and growth outcomes.ParticipantsModerately preterm infants without genetic or congenital anomalies and their mothers are recruited from an urban academic medical centre level IV NICU in New York City, New York, USA. Recruitment began in 2011 and continues through multiple enrolment phases to the present with goal enrolment of 400 infants. Follow-up includes daily data collection throughout the NICU stay and six follow-up visits in the first 2 years. Study retention is 77% to date, with the oldest patients turning age 8 in 2019.Findings to dateNICU-HEALTH has already contributed significantly to our understanding of phthalate exposure in the NICU. Phase I produced the first evidence of the clinical impact of phthalate exposure in the NICU population. Further study identified specific sources of exposure to clinically relevant phthalate mixtures in the NICU.Future plansFollow-up from age 3 to 12 is co-ordinated through integration with the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) programme. The NICU-HEALTH cohort will generate a wealth of biomarker, clinical and outcome data from which future studies of the impact of early-life chemical and non-chemical environmental exposures can benefit. Findings from study of this cohort and other collaborating environmental health cohorts will likely translate into improvements in the hospital environment for infant development.Trial registration numbersThis observational cohort is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01420029andNCT01963065).

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Maternal salivary cortisol levels during pregnancy are positively associated with overweight children

Cited by 25 publications

References 30 publications

Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy and childhood health outcomes: a narrative review

Maternal psychological distress during pregnancy and childhood health outcomes: a narrative review

Biological, environmental, and social influences on childhood obesity

Cohort profile: the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Hospital Exposures and Long-Term Health (NICU-HEALTH) cohort, a prospective preterm birth cohort in New York City

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