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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Jul;94(1):313-320.
doi: 10.1038/s41390-022-02443-8. Epub 2023 Jan 9.

A preconception lifestyle intervention in women with obesity and cardiovascular health in their children

Tamara den Harink  1   2 , Joost Schuppen  3 , Maciej Marciniak  4 , Karen A Voet  5 , R Nils Planken  3 , Annemieke Hoek  6 , Henk Groen  7 , Reinoud J B J Gemke  8 , Ben Willem Mol  9   10 , Nico A Blom  11 , Pablo Lamata  4 , Tessa J Roseboom  5   12 , Arend W van Deutekom  5   13
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

A preconception lifestyle intervention in women with obesity and cardiovascular health in their children

Tamara den Harink et al. Pediatr Res. 2023 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Maternal obesity during pregnancy is associated with poorer cardiovascular health (CVH) in children. A strategy to improve CVH in children could be to address preconception maternal obesity by means of a lifestyle intervention. We determined if a preconception lifestyle intervention in women with obesity improved offspring's CVH, assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: We invited children born to women who participated in a randomised controlled trial assessing the effect of a preconception lifestyle intervention in women with obesity. We assessed cardiac structure, function and geometric shape, pulse wave velocity and abdominal fat tissue by MRI.

Results: We included 49 of 243 (20.2%) eligible children, 24 girls (49%) girls, mean age 7.1 (0.8) years. Left ventricular ejection fraction was higher in children in the intervention group as compared to children in the control group (63.0% SD 6.18 vs. 58.8% SD 5.77, p = 0.02). Shape analysis showed that intervention was associated with less regional thickening of the interventricular septum and less sphericity. There were no differences in the other outcomes of interest.

Conclusion: A preconception lifestyle intervention in women with obesity led to a higher ejection fraction and an altered cardiac shape in their offspring, which might suggest a better CVH.

Impact: A preconception lifestyle intervention in women with obesity results in a higher ejection fraction and an altered cardiac shape that may signify better cardiovascular health (CVH) in their children. This is the first experimental human evidence suggesting an effect of a preconception lifestyle intervention in women with obesity on MRI-derived indicators of CVH in their children. Improving maternal preconception health might prevent some of the detrimental consequences of maternal obesity on CVH in their children.

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