Healthy Lifestyle in the First 1000 Days and Overweight and Obesity Throughout Childhood

Abstract

Objectives: Investigate associations of different family healthy lifestyle scores (HLS) during the first 1000 days with childhood overweight and obesity (OWOB).

Methods: Cohort-specific analyses were conducted on participants (n = 25 006) from 4 European birth cohorts (The study on the pre- and early postnatal determinants of child health and development [EDEN], Elfe, France; Generation R, the Netherlands; and Lifeways, Ireland). Three composite HLSs were calculated: a maternal pregnancy HLS based on prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) and diet quality, physical activity, smoking status, and alcohol consumption during pregnancy; a parental pregnancy HLS additionally considering paternal BMI and smoking status; and an infancy HLS based on breastfeeding duration, age of solid food introduction, and exposure to passive smoking. Associations with child BMI (primary outcome) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR, available in 2 cohorts) in early (5-5.5 years), middle (7-8 years), and late childhood (9-12 years) were assessed using linear (BMI and WHtR z-scores) and robust Poisson (International Obesity Task Force [IOTF] categories) regression analyses adjusted for sociodemographic confounders.

Results: Only a small proportion of families had favorable lifestyle factors during pregnancy and early infancy, with 3.4% to 10.0%, 1.9% to 3.7%, and 12.2% to 23.6% scoring maximum for maternal, parental, and infancy HLS, respectively. Associations between higher HLSs and a lower risk of OWOB when measured by BMI z-scores or IOTF categories were found for maternal HLS and early (3/4 cohorts with available data), middle (1/2), and late childhood (2/4); parental HLS and early (3/4), middle (2/2), and late childhood (4/4). Associations between infancy HLS and childhood OWOB were less consistent and did not remain significant after additional adjustment for parental HLS. Associations with WHtR were solely significant in EDEN at 5.5 years.

Conclusions: Greater maternal and parental adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviors during pregnancy was associated with a lower risk of offspring OWOB throughout childhood, illustrating the importance of promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors at the family level during pregnancy.