The effect of maternal obesity on the offspring

Abstract

Maternal obesity is inextricably linked to adverse health outcomes for the mother and her children. The peripartum period is a critical period of risk. In this chapter, we examine the importance of maternal prepregnancy weight status, gestational weight gain, breastfeeding, and postpartum weight loss in relation to subsequent risk for maternal obesity and obesity in the offspring. Promoting optimal maternal weight during the preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods will provide lifelong benefits for maternal health and the health of her progeny.

Figure 1

Developmental and intergenerational effects of obesity Significant inter-stage events include: 1. Intrauterine Programing; 2. Breastfeeding, early food exposure, attachment stage; 3. Early childhood growth, child care, habit formation; 4. Brain maturation, self-management, puberty, health behavior change, increased salience of peer effects and school effects; 5. Independence, increasing life stress; 6. Pre-conceptual health, parental health status, prenatal care. Reference: Nader PR, Huang TT, Gahagan S, et al. Next steps in obesity prevention: Altering early life systems to support healthy parents, infants, and toddlers. Child Obes 2012;8(3):195-204.

Figure 2

Prevalence of childhood BMI ≥ 95^th percentile by maternal prepregnancy BMI and breastfeeding Reference: Li C, Kaur H, Choi WS, et al. Additive interactions of maternal prepregnancy BMI and breast-feeding on childhood overweight. Obes Res 2005;13(2):362-71.

Figure 3

Breastfeeding initiation, 2004–2009 by pre-pregnancy BMI Reference: Thompson L, Zhang S, Black E, et al. The association of maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index with breastfeeding initiation. Matern Child Health J 2013;17(10):1842-51.