Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy, early growth, and body fat distribution at school age

Abstract

Objective: The associations of maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy with offspring growth patterns and body fat and insulin levels at school age were examined.

Methods: In a population-based birth cohort among 7,857 mothers and their children, maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy was assessed by questionnaires. Growth characteristics were measured from birth onward. At 6 years, body fat and insulin levels were measured.

Results: Compared to children whose mothers consumed <2 units of caffeine per day during pregnancy (1 unit of caffeine is equivalent to 1 cup of coffee (90 mg caffeine)), those whose mothers consumed ≥6 units of caffeine per day tended to have a lower weight at birth, higher weight gain from birth to 6 years, and higher body mass index from 6 months to 6 years. Both children whose mothers consumed 4-5.9 and ≥6 units of caffeine per day during pregnancy tended to have a higher childhood body mass index and total body fat mass. Only children whose mothers consumed ≥6 units of caffeine per day had a higher android/gynoid fat mass ratio.

Conclusions: These results suggest that high levels of maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy are associated with adverse offspring growth patterns and childhood body fat distribution.

Figure 1. Flow-chart of study participants

Figure 2. Associations of maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy with longitudinally measured growth characteristics (N=7,857)

Results are based on repeated linear regression models and reflect the differences in SDS of (A) height (based on 51,691 measurements), (B) weight (based on 58,124 measurements) and (C) body mass index (based on 36,953 measurements) growth in children whose mothers consumed 2-3.9, 4-5.9 and ≥6 units of caffeine per day during pregnancy, respectively, as compared to those whose mothers consumed <2 units of caffeine per day. 1 unit of caffeine intake represents the equivalent of 1 cup of coffee (90 mg caffeine). The reference value is an SDS of 0. The models were adjusted for child’s sex, maternal age, pre-pregnancy body mass index, parity, ethnicity, educational level, folic acid supplementation use, smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy, pregnancy complications, breastfeeding and timing of introduction of solid foods. All p-values for interaction <0.05.